A novel pill designed to block the hormone aldosterone is showing encouraging results in lowering blood pressure and potentially protecting kidney health in people living with both conditions, according to early trial findings presented at the American Heart Association (AHA) meeting in Baltimore and published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

The experimental drug, baxdrostat, was tested in the Phase 2 FigHTN trial among 195 patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and uncontrolled high blood pressure despite standard medication. Over 26 weeks, participants given the pill experienced an average 5% reduction in systolic blood pressure — the top number in a blood pressure reading that measures the force of blood against artery walls during a heartbeat.

“These findings are encouraging for people living with chronic kidney disease and high blood pressure, two conditions that often go hand-in-hand and create a dangerous cycle,” said Dr. Jamie Dwyer, study leader and professor of medicine at University of Utah Health. Uncontrolled blood pressure can worsen kidney damage, while declining kidney function can further push blood pressure higher, he explained.

Beyond lowering blood pressure, baxdrostat also appeared to protect the kidneys. Patients taking the drug saw a 55% reduction in albumin levels in their urine compared with those on a placebo. High urine albumin is a warning sign of future kidney and heart disease. “The reduction in urine albumin gives us hope that baxdrostat may also help delay kidney damage,” Dr. Dwyer said, adding that larger Phase 3 trials are now underway.

The participants, with an average age of 66, had stage 1–4 chronic kidney disease but were not in kidney failure. While the drug was generally well tolerated, the most common side effect was elevated potassium levels in the blood, observed in 41% of patients on baxdrostat versus 5% on placebo. Most cases were mild to moderate.

Experts say the findings could be a turning point for patients struggling with treatment-resistant hypertension. Dr. Jordana Cohen, deputy director and associate professor of medicine and epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine, called the results “particularly reassuring,” noting that patients with kidney disease — who often have limited treatment options — were well represented and benefited both in blood pressure control and kidney protection.

“This medication class could be a game changer in the management of hypertension in this patient group,” Cohen said in an AHA release.

The trial was funded by AstraZeneca, the developer of baxdrostat, which is now being evaluated in larger studies to confirm its long-term safety and effectiveness.