Chinese biotechnology company Rona Therapeutics announced on Monday that its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for RN1871, a small interfering RNA (siRNA) drug targeting angiotensinogen (AGT), has been approved by China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA).

RN1871 is designed to silence AGT mRNA expression in the liver, inhibiting the production of the key precursor protein in the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System (RAAS). The RAAS pathway plays a key role in blood pressure regulation, and its overactivation is closely linked to the progression of hypertension.

According to Rona, preclinical studies have demonstrated that RN1871 delivers long-lasting blood pressure control, offering a promising new therapeutic option for over 1.5 billion hypertension patients worldwide.

Stella Shi, Rona Therapeutics' CEO and founder, stated: "The IND approval of RN1871 marks a significant breakthrough in our pursuit of innovative therapies for chronic diseases. By leveraging siRNA technology to treat disease fundamentally, RN1871 achieves sustained efficacy with less dosing frequency. We look forward to bringing this innovative therapy to hypertension management where more compliant and safe treatment is needed to improve cardiovascular events and other comorbidities."