US FDA approves Novartis's hypertension drug combo, Valturna

The US FDA has given the green light to Novartis's combination high blood pressure drug Valturna (valsartan plus aliskiren). It is indicated as a first-line treatment for patients likely to need multiple drugs to achieve their blood pressure goals, who the company says account for 85% of hypertensive patients, and as a second-line treatment for patients not adequately controlled on aliskiren or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) monotherapy.