Novartis and Sanofi drugs "will drive hypetension Rxing:" report

A drug's effect on mortality rates (all-cause mortality) is the attribute that most influences primary care physicians' prescribing decisions in the treatment of hypertension. Clinical data and expert opinion shows that Swiss drug major Novartis' Tekturna (aliskiren) and Exforge (amlodipine and valsartan) and leading French firm Sanofi-Aventis' ilepatril all have advantages in this attribute over sales-leading amlodipine, according to a new report from health care advisory group Decision Resources.

The report finds that, of the emerging therapies in this market, fixed-dose combinations and ilepatril will be most efficacious at lowering blood pressure. Surveyed PCPs indicated that they would prescribe each of Tekturna, aliskiren/valsartan and ilepatril to 10% of their patients with hypertension. The report also states that, through 2016, there are no therapies in development which will displace Exforge as the clinical gold standard treatment for hypertension.

"Experts we interviewed indicated that fixed-dose combinations, including Exforge, are the most effective currently available agents at lowering both systolic and diastolic blood pressure," said Jeremy Goldman, an analyst at Decision Resources.