Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis announce ‘new treatment option’ for hypertension

Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis have announced that Avalide (irbesartan-hydrochlorothiazide) offers a new treatment option for patients with hypertension.

The supplemental new drug application for the compound for initial use in patients with the condition who are likely to need a number of drugs to attain their blood pressure targets has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Approval for the compound followed two clinical trials involving over 1,200 patients exhibiting severe or moderate high blood pressure, with the compound showing higher mean blood pressure reductions than that for irbesartan or hydrochlorothiazide monotherapy.

Dr Joel Neutel, professor of medicine at the University of California in Irvine, said: “Guidelines support initial combination therapy for severe hypertension based on the need to lower [blood pressure] within weeks rather than months.”

He added that the availability of Avalide together with Avapro (irbesartan) offers doctors an increased range of options for the treatment of mild, moderate and severe hypertension.

In August 2007, the Lancet reported that many patients wrongly reduce or halt their medication for hypetension when their levels start to fall as a result of their relaxed attitude to the condition.