Clinical Pharmacology of Enalkiren, A Novel, Dipeptide Renin Inhibitor

Enalkiren (A-64662), a potent, dipeptide renin inhibitor, mimics the transition state of the human renin substrate, angiotensinogen. Enalkiren has been shown to produce dose-related suppression of plasma renin activity (PRA) and angiotensin II when administered intravenously. Doses of enalkiren of less than 0.1 mg/kg induced little hemodynamic response in normotensive and hypertensive volunteers despite marked suppression of PRA. However, at doses of 0.3 and 1.2 mg/kg, enalkiren produced significant, dose-related decreases in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive patients, and the BP response was enhanced by pretreatment with hydrochlorothiazide. The effects of enalkiren on PRA and BP are prolonged despite its relatively short elimination phase plasma half-life (1.6 h). Persistent pharmacologic activity without evidence of tachyphylaxis was demonstrated during 1 week of treatment in hypertensive patients. The observed dissociation between suppression of PRA and BP response and the recruitment of dose-related BP decrements, despite complete suppression of PRA, are unexplained phenomena. The results of clinical trials with enalkiren are encouraging, and suggest that renin inhibitors may be safe, useful therapeutic agents in the management of hypertension.