CYT-006-AngQb, a vaccine against angiotensin II for the potential treatment of hypertension.

CYT-006-AngQb, under development by Cytos Biotechnology AG, is a vaccine in which a peptide derived from the angiotensin II molecule is conjugated to the surface of the highly repetitive structure of virus-like particles. CYT-006-AngQb was designed to treat hypertension with the benefit of relatively long-lasting effects that do not require daily dosing. In spontaneously hypertensive rat models, CYT-006-AngQb induced strong angiotensin-II-specific antibodies and reduced systolic blood pressure. In a phase I clinical trial, single doses of CYT-006-AngQb were well tolerated in healthy males. In a phase II trial, multiple doses of CYT-006-AngQb administered to patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension reduced blood pressure; the average half-life was longer than all currently available oral hypertension medications. There were no significant side effects except for local skin reactions at the injection site. Given the novel mechanism of CYT-006-AngQb, and the potential to complement other hypertension treatments, success in ongoing phase II trials in patients with hypertension would potentially make this therapy a valuable addition to the therapeutic armamentarium for hypertension.