Health Canada approves MICARDIS(R) (telmisartan) as the first treatment in its class to reduce the risk of non-fatal stroke or non-fatal myocardial infarction in patients 55 years or older at high risk of developing major cardiovascular events who cannot tolerate an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor

    New treatment option will reduce cardiovascular risk for the up-to-44 per
    cent of patients who cannot tolerate ACE inhibitors(1)

BURLINGTON, ON, Nov. 26 /CNW/ - MICARDIS(R) (telmisartan) has received Health Canada approval to reduce the risk of non-fatal stroke or non-fatal myocardial infarction in patients 55 years or older at high risk of developing major cardiovascular events who cannot tolerate an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor. High risk of cardiovascular events includes evidence of coronary artery disease, peripheral arterial disease, stroke, transient ischemic attack, or diabetes mellitus with evidence of end-organ damage. This new approval makes MICARDIS(R) the first and only angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) in Canada to receive this indication.

"The new MICARDIS(R) indication provides physicians an alternative to ACE inhibitors for their high-risk patients who cannot tolerate the most commonly prescribed CV protective medication," says Dr. Subodh Verma, Cardiac Surgeon at St. Michael's Hospital, Associate Professor of Surgery and Pharmacology at University of Toronto and Canada Research Chair in Atherosclerosis. "Up to 44 per cent of the patients suffer from side effects caused by ACE inhibitors, such as intolerable dry cough. Now there is a proven option that reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke, and will help patients stay on their medication as it does not cause those challenging side effects."

About Cardiovascular Disease in Canada(2)

According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, cardiovascular (CV) diseases are defined as diseases and injuries of the cardiovascular system: the heart, the blood vessels of the heart and the system of blood vessels (veins and arteries) throughout the body and within the brain. In Canada, every seven minutes, someone dies from heart disease or stroke. CV disease is responsible for the death of more Canadians than any other disease - more than 30 per cent of all deaths. Heart disease and stroke cost the Canadian economy more than $22.2 billion every year in physician services, hospital costs, lost wages and decreased productivity.

About MICARDIS(R) (telmisartan)

MICARDIS(R) is a modern member of the Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker (ARB) class and has a proven history of controlling hypertension for Canadians. In addition to risk reduction of cardiovascular morbidity, MICARDIS(R) is proven to provide powerful 24-hour blood pressure control, and has a superior side-effect profile, excellent tolerability and better compliance when compared to ramipril(3). It is one of the most studied antihypertensives in clinical trials and is widely used with more than five million patient years since its approval. Its safety profile is similar to that of placebo.

Telmisartan was discovered and developed by Boehringer Ingelheim. Under the trademarks MICARDIS(R) and MICARDIS(R) PLUS (combination with hydrochlorothiazide) the company markets it in 84 countries around the world, including the USA, Japan and European countries.

Boehringer Ingelheim Canada

The Boehringer Ingelheim group is one of the world's 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, it operates globally with 138 affiliates in 47 countries and 41,300 employees.

Founded in 1885, the family-owned company has been committed to researching and developing novel products of high therapeutic value for human and veterinary medicine. In 2008, Boehringer Ingelheim posted net sales of 11.6 billion euro while spending one fifth of net sales in its largest business segment Prescription Medicines on research and development.

The Canadian headquarters of Boehringer was established in 1972 and the Research and Development Centre located in Laval, Québec, Canada since 1988. Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd./Ltée employs more 700 employees and more than 150 scientists across the country.

For more information please visit www.boehringer-ingelheim.ca.

    References
    -------------------------
    (1) Brown NJ and Vaughan DE. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors.
        Circulation 1998;97:1411-1420
    (2) Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Statistics. http://www.heartandstroke.com/site/c.ikIQLcMWJtE/b.3483991/k.34A8/Statistics.htmNo.heartdisease (Accessed October 22, 2009)
    (3) Yves Lacourciére, Joel M. Neutel, Gloria Davidai, and Steve Koval, on
        behalf of the PRISMA II Investigators. A Multicenter, 14-week- Study
        of Telmisartan and Ramipril in Patients with Mild-to-moderate
        Hypertension Using ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring. American
        Journal of Hypertension, 19 (1), 2006, 104-12

For further information: Jilda Lazer, Jeanelle Frampton, Environics Communications, (416) 969-2737, (416) 969-2670, jlazer@environicspr.com, jframpton@environicspr.com