Lemildipine Merck and Co Inc

Lemildipine is a 1,4-dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker which is under phase III development by Banyu (Merck and Co), in Japan, for its potential to treat hypertension and cerebrovascular ischemia. In one study, involving five patients with essential hypertension accompanied by cerebrovascular disorder, lemildipine, administered orally at doses of 5 to 20 mg/day, significantly lowered blood pressure and increased cerebral blood flow [256721]. Another study in 31 patients with essential hypertension demonstrated that lemildipine has significant pressure lowering effects without affecting serum lipids [256722]. Worldwide rights to market the drug have been assigned to Kowa in Japan.