AstraZeneca Shops for Blockbuster Drug Replacements

British pharma titan AstraZeneca is attempting to solve its patent dilemma with cash.In late April,the company shelled out 1.26 billion dollars for San Diego biotech firm Ardea Biosciences.Ardea's main prospect is gout treatment Lesinurad.
According to AstraZeneca CEO David Brennan,this attractive Phase 3 program is an excellent opportunity to leverage Astra's global specialty and primary care sales and marketing capabilities.
Ardea is also developing combination treatments for pancreatic and liver cancer with Germany's Bayer AG,plus another gout drug in Phase 1 trials.
Astra is losing patent protection on many of its blockbuster products over the next few years.Billions in revenue will be lost as patents expire and generic competition cuts into sales of hypertension drug Atacand(2013);antipsychotic drug Seroquel and anti-cholesterol pill Crestor(2014);and gastroesophageal reflex disease pill Nexium in 2016.
This strategy was in place several years ago when Astra also acquired Gaithersburg,Maryland biotech firm MedImmune in 2007.
AstraZeneca(AZN),Ardea Biosciences(RDEA),Bayer AG(BAYRY)

Health Uncle:What Is Prehypertension-and what should be done about it

Prehypertension is now considered to be an early stage of hypertension,or high blood pressure.In a person with prehypertension,harm may already be being done to their bodies.People with prehypertension,defined as blood pressure from 120-139 systolic or 80-89 diastolic,have no symptoms,yet have twice the risk of developing cardiovascular disease as those with lower blood pressure.They are already at an increased risk of suffering a stroke or heart attack.
Prehypertension has a number of possible causes,such as atherosclerosis;sleep apnea;kidney disease;and thyroid disease.Risk factors for the condition include being overweight;of the male sex;having a family history of high blood pressure;a sedentary lifestyle;high sodium or low potassium intake;tobacco use;alcoholism;and having high cholesterol or diabetes.
Prehypertension with diabetes,kidney or cardiovascular disease may be treated with blood pressure medications.Lifestyle changes alone are typically prescribed for the other patients with prehypertension.Low fat/high fiber diets;more exercise;giving up tobacco;and limiting alcohol are recommended to reduce blood pressure.
In the case of prehypertension,what was once glossed over is now seen as requiring a plan of action to alleviate both the present and future risk of cardiovascular events.