Boehringer Ingelheim study reinforces telmisartan safety

Boehringer Ingelheim has highlighted clinical trial data which supports the established safety profile of telmisartan, its angiotensin receptor blocker treatment for heart disease.

The company states that the drug, which helps to protect against conditions such as strokes, has been extensively trialled among more than 50,000 patients in three long-term outcome trials.

It added that results from these studies demonstrated no associated risk of cancer among telmisartan patients, contradicting the findings of a recent analysis published in Lancet Oncology.

Professor Dr Klaus Dugi, corporate senior vice-president of medicine at Boehringer Ingelheim, said the safety of the drug has also been confirmed in day-to-day patient exposure.

He concluded: “Our research efforts have centred on the need to protect patients, especially older patients, from cardiovascular risks such as myocardial infarction or stroke. Telmisartan fulfils this need.”

Last month, the company published new clinical data for the female hypoactive sexual desire disorder treatment flibanserin, which showed that more than half of patients experienced noticeable health improvements when using the drug.