Takeda receives CHMP backing for Edarbi

Takeda has been granted a positive recommendation for the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) for its new blood pressure drug Edarbi.

The once-daily angiotensin II receptor antagonist has been endorsed for European approval by the committee as a therapy for essential hypertension, based on findings from a series of nine phase III clinical trials.

Results from the studies showed that Edarbi was able to deliver significant reductions in systolic blood pressure compared to a number of alternatives, when trialled among nearly 7,000 patients.

The drug could prove to be an important new therapy option for a condition that is estimated to affect almost half of the adult population of Europe.

Trevor Smith, chief executive officer of Takeda Pharmaceuticals Europe, said: "Building on our long heritage in cardiovascular disease the forthcoming launch of azilsartan medoxomil reinforces our commitment to expanding the boundaries of hypertension treatment across Europe."

Last month, the company announced the commencement of a phase III study of TAK-438, a new therapy for acid-related diseases.