Astrazeneca Stock: Breakthrough Drug Study Boosts Shares

The British pharmaceutical giant saw its shares surge on Monday, reaching the highest level since mid-June following positive Phase III trial results for its experimental drug Baxdrostat. The medication, designed to treat resistant hypertension, successfully met both primary and secondary endpoints in a clinical study involving 796 patients. Two dosages (1mg and 2mg daily) were tested against placebo, with results showing statistically significant and clinically meaningful reductions in systolic blood pressure after 12 weeks in patients whose hypertension remained uncontrolled despite multiple standard medications. JPMorgan analysts maintained their "Overweight" rating with a 1400 pence price target, noting these results substantially reduce investment risks associated with the drug's potential billion-dollar peak revenue.

Addressing a Global Health Challenge

Baxdrostat targets a substantial market opportunity, with approximately 1.3 billion people worldwide suffering from hypertension and about 50% of U.S. patients failing to achieve blood pressure control despite multiple medications. The drug works by blocking an enzyme that produces aldosterone, a blood pressure-increasing hormone, without affecting cortisol production. The compound represents a strategic component of Astrazeneca's cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic disease portfolio, potentially justifying the $1.8 billion acquisition of CinCor Pharma in 2023. Detailed trial data is expected in late August or early September, with a presentation planned for the European Cardiology Congress in August 2025.

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Source StockWorld