UK firm said to make anti-high blood pressure vaccine

[Al-khiyal]

LONDON, May 12, 2007 -- Scientists at a British pharmaceutical firm have developed a vaccine to curb high blood pressure, an advance over pills that cause side effects, a newspaper reported Saturday.

The Daily Mail said that Protherics in Cheshire, northwest England has successfully tested the vaccine on people and plan to stage further tests with an improved formula, hoping to market the product within five years.

The injection uses a protein found in limpets, a common shellfish, to attack angiotensin, a hormone produced by the liver which raises blood pressure by narrowing arteries, according to the daily.

However, the vaccine turns the body's immune system against the hormone, the newspaper said.

Protherics said the drug will make it much easier for people - who have until now had to rely on pills that can cause side effects and prompt people to give up the treatment - to control their blood pressure.

"Improving compliance in this way could save thousands from life-threatening complications such as heart attack or stroke," Andrew Heath, a company researcher, was quoted as saying.

The vaccine would require just three injections with a booster every six months.

Hoping to put its product on the market within five years, Protherics is planning trials of a new injection that is 10 times better at stimulating the immune system than its original formula, the newspaper said.

The company reported few side-effects, although 10 percent of those who tried it complained of a brief, flu-like illness.

Professor Graham MacGregor of Britain's Blood Pressure Association welcomed news of a vaccine against high blood pressure.

"Raised blood pressure is the most important cause of death from strokes and heart attacks in the UK," he was quoted as saying.

"If you have to take blood pressure tablets, you have to take them for the rest of your life and some people find that difficult. Finding other ways and better ways of trying to lower blood pressure without side effects would be very much welcome."

UK firm said to make anti-high blood pressure vaccine

[amalgamate]

I don't know how great that vaccine might be. restricting a natural biological process from doing what it doos might back fire. high blood pressure could come from cholesterol blockage and deposits in the vessels. -nothing to do with constricting or relaxing of the blood vessels. i think some instances our body needs to have control of our blood vessels and to prevent the chemical that induces constriction permanently might not be such a good idea.

??

i donno, i've got to read more 'bout it...