AstraZeneca’s Baxdrostat Delivers Phase III Victory for Resistant Hypertension

AstraZeneca’s experimental hypertension drug, baxdrostat, has achieved a major milestone. The company announced that its BaxHTN Phase III trial met both primary and secondary endpoints, demonstrating a statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction in systolic blood pressure after 12 weeks in patients with uncontrolled or treatment-resistant hypertension. The trial involved two once‑daily doses (1 mg and 2 mg) alongside standard therapy, compared to placebo, and showed strong efficacy and favourable safety profiles.

Developed through AstraZeneca’s 2023 acquisition of CinCor Pharma, baxdrostat represents a novel class of aldosterone synthase inhibitors that target hormonal drivers unrelated to traditional ACE inhibitors. The treatment‑resistant hypertension market affects over 1 billion people globally, representing a potential US$70 billion opportunity; AstraZeneca projects peak annual sales for baxdrostat (alone or combined with Farxiga) to exceed US$5 billion.

AZ plans to present full results at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in August 2025, with filings for regulatory approval expected thereafter. The drug is also being explored in trials targeting chronic kidney disease and heart failure prevention, including combination studies with dapagliflozin involving over 20,000 patients.