Daiichi Sankyo: Azor would offer valuable treatment option

Daiichi Sankyo has said the approval of Azor (amlodipine and olmesartan medoxomil) as an initial therapy for hypertension could offer a valuable new treatment option in patients who may need a number of antihypertensive agents to achieve their blood pressure target.

The compound is currently indicated for use as a monotherapy or together with other antihypertension drugs, but is not approved as an initial treatment.

It can be substituted for individually titrated components and can also be used to provide additional blood pressure reduction in patients whose blood pressure is not being adequately controlled by any angiotensin receptor blocker or calcium channel blocker alone.

The company has filed a supplemental new drug application for the compound with the US Food and Drug Administration.

William R Sigmund II, vice-president of medical affairs at Daiichi Sankyo, said: “Given the prevalence of patients with high blood pressure, the approval of Azor as initial therapy would give physicians a valuable treatment option to help more patients reach their blood pressure goal.”

He added that the firm is focused on research and innovation in cardiovascular care and the expansion of the product label for Azor is in line with its vision to boost health.

In May 2008, Forest Laboratories and Daiichi Sankyo terminated their co-promotion agreement for Azor.