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Baxdrostat significantly lowers blood pressure in trial

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Baxdrostat also being tested for chronic kidney disease,

heart

failure prevention

(Adds background about the drug in paragraphs 3,4,6 and 7)

Oct 7 (Reuters) - AstraZeneca's ( AZN ) experimental

drug baxdrostat significantly lowered blood pressure during a

24-hour window of monitoring in a late-stage trial of patients

with treatment-resistant hypertension, it said on Tuesday.

The company said the drug met the main goal of the study

when compared to placebo at the end of 12 weeks. Patients in the

trial had received 2 milligrams of baxdrostat or placebo on top

of standard care.

The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker has previously said that it

expects to file for regulatory approval for baxdrostat before

year-end and sees peak annual sales for the drug topping $5

billion.

Baxdrostat targets blood pressure-regulating hormone

aldosterone, a novel approach compared with older treatments

like diuretics and ACE inhibitors, which do not address hormonal

drivers.

The drug is currently being investigated for four

indications, including chronic kidney disease and prevention of

heart failure.

Mineralys Therapeutics ( MLYS ) is developing a similar

drug, lorundrostat, and expects to submit its own data to U.S.

authorities by the end of the year.

AstraZeneca ( AZN ) acquired baxdrostat through its 2023 purchase

of CinCor Pharma as part of efforts to expand its pipeline in

heart and kidney disease.