The US FDA has approved Novartis' new hypertension drug, Tekturna (aliskiren), a direct renin inhibitor. A once-daily oral tablet therapy, Tekturna acts by blocking renin, an enzyme responsible for triggering a process that can contribute to high blood pressure.

"Renin angiotensin system activity contributes to many of the complications associated with high blood pressure," said Marc A. Pfeffer, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine at the Harvard Medical School and cardiologist at Brigham & Women's Hospital. "By inhibiting this important system at its origin, renin production, a direct renin inhibitor such as Tekturna offers an exciting novel therapeutic option for treating hypertension."

The drug has been approved as monotherapy, as well as in combination with other medications to control blood blood pressure. It is expected to be available in the pharmacies within the month.

For more info, see Novartis press release or the financial report from CNN Money.