May 2025 — A major clinical trial has shown that a new drug, lorundrostat, may offer a promising treatment option for patients with uncontrolled or resistant hypertension.
Researchers report that lorundrostat, a first-in-class aldosterone synthase inhibitor, led to significant and sustained reductions in blood pressure in a large group of patients who had not reached their treatment goals with standard therapies. The findings come from the Launch-HTN trial, the largest Phase III study of a novel hypertension drug to date.
The study included 1,083 adult participants, all of whom had failed to achieve target blood pressure levels despite taking two to five different antihypertensive medications. After switching to lorundrostat, patients experienced a 16.9 mmHg drop in systolic blood pressure by Week 6. By Week 12, that reduction reached 19 mmHg, according to the data.
Lorundrostat works by lowering the body’s production of aldosterone—a hormone that can raise blood pressure—through inhibition of the enzyme CYP11B2 in the adrenal glands. The drug is being developed by Mineralys Therapeutics.
The results of the Phase III trial were presented at the 2025 European Meeting on Hypertension and Cardiovascular Protection.
Expanding Treatment Options
In related news, another novel drug, GMRx2, is also showing promise for patients with uncontrolled hypertension. Trial results released in September 2024 revealed that this oral combination pill—which includes telmisartan, amlodipine, and indapamide at varying doses—helped more than 80% of patients achieve blood pressure control within one month.
“This is impressive,” said Professor Dike Ojji, Head of the Cardiovascular Research Unit at the University of Abuja in Nigeria and principal investigator of the study.
Both drugs highlight progress in developing new treatment strategies for managing hypertension, a condition that affects millions worldwide and remains a leading risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
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