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AstraZeneca Meets All Key Goals in Phase III Hypertension Study
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Key Takeaways
AZN's baxdrostat met all primary and secondary endpoints in a phase III study for uncontrolled hypertension.
Both 1 mg and 2 mg doses showed significant SBP reductions and were well-tolerated over 12 weeks.
AZN got baxdrostat via CinCor acquisition; late-stage studies for additional indications are also underway.
AstraZeneca (AZN - Free Report) reported positive top-line results from a late-stage study evaluating the safety, tolerability and efficacy of its investigational candidate, baxdrostat, in patients with uncontrolled hypertension.
The target patient population comprises hypertension patients who are on two different antihypertensive medications, as well as those with resistant hypertension who are being treated with three or more antihypertensive drugs, including a diuretic.
Data from AstraZeneca’s phase III BaxHTN study showed that both the 1 mg and 2 mg doses of baxdrostat achieved statistically significant and clinically meaningful reductions in mean seated systolic blood pressure (SBP) compared to placebo at 12 weeks, successfully meeting the study’s primary endpoint.
AZN’s baxdrostat is a potential first-in-class, oral aldosterone synthase inhibitor, an enzyme that causes elevated blood pressure and increased cardiovascular and renal risk.
AZN’s Late-Stage Hypertension Study Results in Detail
AstraZeneca’s BaxHTN study of baxdrostat also met all key secondary endpoints, including reductions in seated SBP in the resistant hypertension subgroup, improvements in seated diastolic blood pressure, the proportion of participants achieving SBP below 130 mmHg, and the incidence of adverse events, at 12 weeks.
Year to date, AstraZeneca shares have gained 9.5% against the industry’s 0.9% decline.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
In the study, patients with uncontrolled or treatment-resistant hypertension received baxdrostat or placebo in addition to standard-of-care therapy. AstraZeneca reported that the candidate was generally well-tolerated across the study population and exhibited a favorable safety profile. The data readout supports its potential as an effective treatment option for difficult-to-manage hypertension, where there is a significant unmet medical need.
AstraZeneca plans to share these results with regulatory authorities globally. Detailed data from the phase III BaxHTN study will be presented at a medical conference in August 2025.
Per AZN, hypertension affects 1.3 billion people globally and if uncontrolled, increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure and kidney disease. In the United States, about half of patients on multiple therapies still have uncontrolled blood pressure, with growing evidence linking this to aldosterone dysregulation.
Baxdrostat was added to AstraZeneca’s pipeline through its acquisition of CinCor Pharma in 2023. Former CinCor shareholders are eligible to receive a contingent value right of $10 per share in cash (totaling $0.5 billion) upon the submission of a new drug application in either the United States or the EU.
Apart from the hypertension indication, AZN is currently evaluating baxdrostat as a monotherapy for primary aldosteronism in a phase III study. In combination with dapagliflozin, the candidate is also being evaluated for treating chronic kidney disease and the prevention of heart failure in hypertensive patients in separate late-stage studies.
AZN’s Zacks Rank and Stocks to Consider
AstraZeneca currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
In the past 90 days, Verona Pharma’s bottom-line estimates for 2025 have significantly improved from a loss of 7 cents per share to earnings of 22 cents. During the same timeframe, estimates for 2026 earnings per share have improved from $2.21 to $2.88. VRNA stock has soared 125.4% so far this year.
Verona Pharma’s earnings beat estimates in one of the trailing four quarters and missed the mark on the other three occasions, delivering an average negative surprise of 6.76%.
In the past 90 days, Agenus’ bottom-line estimates for 2025 have significantly improved from a loss of $4.66 per share to earnings of $1.56. During the same timeframe, estimates for 2026 loss per share have narrowed from $5.02 to $1.99. AGEN stock has surged 149.3% so far this year.
Agenus’ earnings beat estimates in two of the trailing four quarters and missed the mark on the other two occasions, delivering an average negative surprise of 22.71%.
BAYRY’s 2025 earnings per share estimate has increased from $1.19 to $1.27 for 2025 over the past 90 days, while that for 2026 has gone up from $1.28 to $1.34 over the same timeframe. Year to date, shares of Bayer have surged 65%.
BAYRY’s earnings beat estimates in one of the trailing four quarters, matched twice and missed on the remaining occasion, the average negative surprise being 13.91%.
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AstraZeneca Meets All Key Goals in Phase III Hypertension Study
Key Takeaways
AstraZeneca (AZN - Free Report) reported positive top-line results from a late-stage study evaluating the safety, tolerability and efficacy of its investigational candidate, baxdrostat, in patients with uncontrolled hypertension.
The target patient population comprises hypertension patients who are on two different antihypertensive medications, as well as those with resistant hypertension who are being treated with three or more antihypertensive drugs, including a diuretic.
Data from AstraZeneca’s phase III BaxHTN study showed that both the 1 mg and 2 mg doses of baxdrostat achieved statistically significant and clinically meaningful reductions in mean seated systolic blood pressure (SBP) compared to placebo at 12 weeks, successfully meeting the study’s primary endpoint.
AZN’s baxdrostat is a potential first-in-class, oral aldosterone synthase inhibitor, an enzyme that causes elevated blood pressure and increased cardiovascular and renal risk.
AZN’s Late-Stage Hypertension Study Results in Detail
AstraZeneca’s BaxHTN study of baxdrostat also met all key secondary endpoints, including reductions in seated SBP in the resistant hypertension subgroup, improvements in seated diastolic blood pressure, the proportion of participants achieving SBP below 130 mmHg, and the incidence of adverse events, at 12 weeks.
Year to date, AstraZeneca shares have gained 9.5% against the industry’s 0.9% decline.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
In the study, patients with uncontrolled or treatment-resistant hypertension received baxdrostat or placebo in addition to standard-of-care therapy. AstraZeneca reported that the candidate was generally well-tolerated across the study population and exhibited a favorable safety profile. The data readout supports its potential as an effective treatment option for difficult-to-manage hypertension, where there is a significant unmet medical need.
AstraZeneca plans to share these results with regulatory authorities globally. Detailed data from the phase III BaxHTN study will be presented at a medical conference in August 2025.
Per AZN, hypertension affects 1.3 billion people globally and if uncontrolled, increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure and kidney disease. In the United States, about half of patients on multiple therapies still have uncontrolled blood pressure, with growing evidence linking this to aldosterone dysregulation.
Baxdrostat was added to AstraZeneca’s pipeline through its acquisition of CinCor Pharma in 2023. Former CinCor shareholders are eligible to receive a contingent value right of $10 per share in cash (totaling $0.5 billion) upon the submission of a new drug application in either the United States or the EU.
Apart from the hypertension indication, AZN is currently evaluating baxdrostat as a monotherapy for primary aldosteronism in a phase III study. In combination with dapagliflozin, the candidate is also being evaluated for treating chronic kidney disease and the prevention of heart failure in hypertensive patients in separate late-stage studies.
AZN’s Zacks Rank and Stocks to Consider
AstraZeneca currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Some better-ranked stocks in the biotech sector are Verona Pharma (VRNA - Free Report) , Agenus (AGEN - Free Report) and Bayer (BAYRY - Free Report) . While VRNA and AGEN currently sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) each, BAYRY carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
In the past 90 days, Verona Pharma’s bottom-line estimates for 2025 have significantly improved from a loss of 7 cents per share to earnings of 22 cents. During the same timeframe, estimates for 2026 earnings per share have improved from $2.21 to $2.88. VRNA stock has soared 125.4% so far this year.
Verona Pharma’s earnings beat estimates in one of the trailing four quarters and missed the mark on the other three occasions, delivering an average negative surprise of 6.76%.
In the past 90 days, Agenus’ bottom-line estimates for 2025 have significantly improved from a loss of $4.66 per share to earnings of $1.56. During the same timeframe, estimates for 2026 loss per share have narrowed from $5.02 to $1.99. AGEN stock has surged 149.3% so far this year.
Agenus’ earnings beat estimates in two of the trailing four quarters and missed the mark on the other two occasions, delivering an average negative surprise of 22.71%.
BAYRY’s 2025 earnings per share estimate has increased from $1.19 to $1.27 for 2025 over the past 90 days, while that for 2026 has gone up from $1.28 to $1.34 over the same timeframe. Year to date, shares of Bayer have surged 65%.
BAYRY’s earnings beat estimates in one of the trailing four quarters, matched twice and missed on the remaining occasion, the average negative surprise being 13.91%.