TWICE-A-YEAR SHOT REPLACES DAILY PILLS FOR BLOOD PRESSURE

DAILY prescription pills to control high blood pressure could one day be replaced by a twice-a-year injectable, which would provide a more convenient option and potentially increase patient compliance, experts say.

Researchers at the Queen Mary University of London and Barts Health NHS Trust are engaged in a three-year global study to determine if the experimental jab zilebesiran — delivered once every six months — successfully inhibits the production of the liver-expressed protein angiotensinogen (AGT). A reduction in AGT is believed to prevent the constriction of blood vessels, which could help manage high blood pressure, also known as hypertension.