NicOx starts enrolling in trial of HCT 3012

French drugmaker NicOx SA has initiated a new clinical study designed to compare the 24-hour blood pressure profile of its drug candidate HCT 3012 and naproxen, using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. This study is expected to enroll approximately 120 volunteers with stable essential hypertension (high blood pressure) at 15 clinical centers in the USA. The first subject has been enrolled and results are expected in the fourth quarter of the year. According to the firm, the anti-inflammatory agents currently used against osteoarthritis are known to raise blood pressure and interfere with the treatment of hypertension. NicOx hopes that its novel, proprietary, nitric oxide-donating derivative of naproxen will overcome this problem.