Recordati files for approval of a new fixed combination product, lercanidipine+enalapril
Milan, 9 December, 2004
Recordati announced that it has submitted a new drug application
for a fixed combination of lercanidipine and enalapril with the
BfArM, the German medicines agency. Following formal acceptance of
the submission the review phase will commence. Assuming approval is
obtained Germany will act as Reference Member State in the mutual
recognition approval process for the rest of Europe.
The international guidelines for the treatment of hypertension
establish new aggressive targets for blood pressure control in
order to minimize the risk of severe cardiovascular events. Most
hypertensive patients, especially those with other associated risk
factors, now require multiple therapies using more than one drug to
keep their blood pressure at desired levels. Associations of a
calcium antagonist and an ACE inhibitor are frequently prescribed
in such conditions.
Fixed combinations of more than one antihypertensive agent will
therefore play a significant and increasing role in the future
hypertension market. The advantages of fixed combinations as
opposed to the administration of separate treatments are threefold:
the combined dosages of the drugs are those broadly used by the
physician and their efficacy and tolerability have been clinically
proven, patient compliance - which is extremely important in
chronic treatments aimed at reducing and preventing cardiovascular
risk - is increased, and the cost of treatment is reduced. This
latter advantage will play an important role in those countries
where healthcare spending budgets are under pressure.
"The growing importance of fixed combination medication in the
treatment of hypertension supports our decision to develop this
product as part of the life cycle management of our flagship
product lercanidipine", declared Dr. Avi Sartani, Director and VP
of Research and Development. "A product based on a similar calcium
antagonist + ACE inhibitor combination is widely used in the United
States and we believe that products of this kind should also be
successful in European markets in view of their therapeutic
advantages and also from a pharma-economics point of view."
Recordati, established in 1926, is a European pharmaceutical
group, listed on the Italian Stock Exchange (Reuters RECI.MI,
Bloomberg REC IM, ISIN IT 0003074447), dedicated to the research,
development, manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceuticals and
pharmaceutical chemicals, with headquarters in Milan, Italy and
operating subsidiaries in France, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland and
the United States.
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