Hypertension drug market will be constrained through 2018, due to few novel emerging therapies in the pipeline

In addition to extensive generic erosion, the hypertension drug market will be constrained through 2018 by a pipeline containing very few emerging therapies with novel mechanisms of action, according to a new report from research and advisory firm Decision Resources.

Gilead's darusentan was positioned to be the next emerging therapy with a novel mechanism of action to reach the hypertension market. However, following darusentan's failure to meet its primary endpoint in the recent DORADO-AC Phase III clinical trial, further development of the agent has been terminated.

Decision Resources' Pharmacor 2010 findings from the topic entitled Hypertension show that the majority of emerging agents for the indication are fixed-dose combinations of currently available therapies. The only novel agents in mid- to late-stage development for hypertension are Novartis's LCZ-696, Pharmacopeia's PS-433540 and Cytos Biotechnology's CYT006-AngQb. However, among these drugs, PS-433540 is in development primarily for diabetic nephropathy and the efficacy of CYT006-AngQb is under question.