Dong-A ST (Vice Chairman Kang Soo-hyoung) and Takeda Pharmaceuticals Korea announced on February 23 that the series of symposiums for the launch of the hypertension treatment ‘Edarbi’ held nationwide since December of last year had been successfully concluded with a symposium in Pohang on the afternoon of February 22.

The series of Edarbi launch events was held in fifteen cities across the nation including Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Daejeon, Gwangju, Jeonju and Pohang in order to raise brand awareness and promote the excellence of the product. A total of 1,791 medical personnel from all regions attended the symposiums.

At the symposium held in Pohang, Na Deuk-young, director of the Dongguk University Gyeongju Hospital, took the role of senior chairperson for the lectures delivered by Professor Bae Joon-ho of Dongguk University Gyeongju Hospital on ‘Major Changes in Hypertension Guidelines after the SPRINT Study’ and by Kim Yoo-min, director of the Semyeong Christian Hospital on ‘Edarbi, a New ARB Drug for New Hypertension Patients’.

During the lecture, Professor Bae said, “Based on the results of the SPRINT study, the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) have issued new guidelines on hypertension treatments,” before adding, “We are examining whether the US target BP standard is applicable to Koreans through individual studies.”

Meanwhile, Director Kim Yoo-min of the Semyeong Christian Hospital stated, “Edarbi has shown an excellent 24-hour hypotensive effect compared to Olmesartan and Valsartan, and displayed a safety profile similar to that of the control and placebo groups.”

Edarbi (active ingredient: Azilsartan Medoxomil Potassium) is an ARB-based treatment that lowers blood pressure by inhibiting the receptor of angiotensin II, a hormone that raises blood pressure1. In the Phase III clinical trials for patients with stage 1 and 2 hypertension, Edarbi demonstrated a superior 24-hour BP lowering effect compared to Olmesartan and Valsartan, and displayed a safety profile similar to that of the control and placebo groups.2

An official from Dong-A ST said, “During this nationwide series of launch symposiums, we have been able to confirm the superiority of and need for Edarbi. With its excellent BP lowering effects and stable profile, Edarbi will provide you, my fellow doctors, with new treatment options and improve the quality of life for patients suffering from hypertension.”

On February 9, Korea’s Takeda Pharmaceutical and Dong-A ST announced the results of the Phase III clinical trials of Edarbi in Korea. Edarbi 40mg and 80mg and the placebo were administered to 328 essential hypertension patients in Korea with an average systolic BP of 150~180mmHg for 6 weeks to compare the product’s efficacy and safety profile. Edarbi showed an excellent blood pressure lowering effect and a level of tolerance superior to that of the placebo, while the frequency of adverse events was similar in each group.