DuP 753 appears to be a well-tolerated, orally active, potent, and long-lasting antagonist of angiotensin II in men.

No abstract

Three new angiotensin converting-enzyme inhibitors were given orally to 20 men in single doses ranging from 1.25 to 40 mg. Two of them induced comparable marked inhibition of both the blood pressure response to exogenous angiotensin I and plasma converting-enzyme activity. Onset of action was relatively slow, but 21 to 24 hr after drug plasma converting-enzyme activity was still clearly reduced. The third was less active. There was a close correlation between blood pressure response on administration of angiotensin I and plasma converting-enzyme activity. There were no adverse effects. These new drugs are interesting because of their long duration of action. The measurement of plasma converting-enzyme activity seems useful for monitoring efficacy of converting-enzyme blockade and compliance to therapy.

The effect of the renin inhibitor enalkiren (Abbott-64662) was evaluated in eight normal volunteer subjects on a standardized sodium diet (100 mmol/day) by measurement of various components of the renin-angiotensin system and drug levels in plasma. On day 1, vehicle and doses of 0.001, 0.003, and 0.01 mg/kg i.v. were administered within 2 minutes at 90-minute intervals. On day 2, vehicle and doses of 0.01, 0.03, and 0.1 mg/kg i.v. were given. With the higher doses, blood pressure tended to decrease slightly with no change in heart rate. Plasma renin activity and plasma angiotensin-(l-8)octapeptide (angiotensin II) fell markedly in a dose-dependent manner. Inhibition of plasma renin activity was maximal 5 minutes after administration of the drug and persisted 90 minutes after the doses of 0.03 and 0.1 mg/kg. Not surprisingly, there was a close correlation between plasma renin activity and plasma angiotensin II levels (r=0.81, n=28, p<0.001). In contrast, active and total renin measured directly by monoclonal antibodies rose in dose-related fashion in response to renin inhibition. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using the plasma drug concentrations obtained up to 6 hours after the 0.1 mg/kg dose. By means of a two-compartment model, plasma mean half-life of the drug was estimated at 1.60±0.43 hours. (Hypertension 1989;13:941-947) O ver the last decade, inhibition of the reninangiotensin system by converting enzyme inhibition has proved very effective for the treatment of hypertension and congestive heart failure.12 Converting enzyme inhibitors block the generation of angiotensin II, a potent pressor hormone. Because converting enzyme is identical to kininase II, it also contributes to the inactivation of the vasodilator hormone bradykinin.3 Accordingly, converting enzyme inhibition does not provide a totally specific means of blocking the reninangiotensin system. Furthermore, the disappearance of angiotensin II from the plasma triggers counterregulatory mechanisms that tend to limit the efficacy of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition. Thus, renin secretion is stimulated and, as a consequence, plasma angiotensin I is elevated. Even in the presence of pronounced ACE inhibition, some angtiotensin II may still be generated. More specific tools for blocking of the reninangiotensin system would be useful. Renin inhibitors have the theoretical advantage of specificity since renin has no known substrate other than angiotensinogen.5 So far, at least experimentally, renin has been blocked by means of various approaches: specific renin antibodies, 6 phospholipids, 78 peptides related to the renin prosegment, 9 pepstatin and its derivatives, 1011 and analogues of the renin substrate. The latter are derived from the minimal sequence of angiotensinogen reacting with renin.12 Actual inhibitors of this class contain a reduced bond between two amino acids at the cleavage site of renin. 13 The inhibitors seem to act by mimicking the transition state of the substrate formed during hydrolysis. Such compounds hav...