Takeda’s new hypertension drug enters phase II trials in EU

Takeda, the Japanese pharmaceutical company, has announced that its experimental compound, TAK-491, has entered into phase II clinical trials in Europe and the US.

TAK-491 is an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) used in the treatment of high blood pressure. It works by inhibiting a vasopressor hormone known as angiotensin II. Takeda said it expects the drug to show a stronger blood pressure lowering action than other ARBs on the market. The company also said that TAK-491 should improve insulin resistance and reduce proteinuria (the passing of serum proteins in urine).

If the drug is launched and developed successfully, Takeda states that it could become the most effective ARB on the market.

Masaomi Miyamoto, general manager of pharmaceutical development at Takeda, stated: “TAK-491 is one of our candidate products which is expected to succeed our current mainstay product, Candesartan, an ARB.”

“We will vigorously conduct clinical development of TAK-491 so that we can offer an additional treatment option for patients with hypertension and their physicians as early as possible,” he added.

Yesterday, Takeda and Galaxy Biotech signed a licence agreement for HuL2G7, a monoclonal antibody therapy designed to block human growth factor, a hormone believed to be responsible for the spread of tumours and the development of their blood supply.

Yasuchika Hasegawa, president of Takeda, remarked: “This alliance with Galaxy surely represents our initiative to enhance the research and development pipeline in oncology, including antibody drug technology, which is one of our core therapeutic areas.”

© Adfero Ltd