The US Food and Drug Administration has approved WIDAPLIK™ (telmisartan, amlodipine and indapamide) for the treatment of hypertension in adult patients, including as initial treatment, marking a significant milestone as the first and only FDA-approved triple combination medication for use as initial therapy in patients likely to need multiple drugs to achieve blood pressure goals.
George Medicines announced the approval on June 9, 2025, with commercial launch anticipated in Q4 2025. The proprietary single pill combines three established antihypertensive mechanisms: telmisartan (an angiotensin II receptor blocker), amlodipine (a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker), and indapamide (a thiazide-like diuretic).
Clinical Trial Results Support Efficacy
The FDA approval is based on positive results from two international Phase 3 trials - GMRx2_ACT and GMRx2_PCT - which compared WIDAPLIK against placebo and dual combinations of its component drugs.
In the GMRx2_ACT trial, patients receiving WIDAPLIK achieved a mean home systolic blood pressure of 126 mm Hg at week 12, demonstrating superior reductions compared to each dual combination: -2.5 mm Hg versus telmisartan-indapamide (P < 0.0001), -5.4 mm Hg versus telmisartan-amlodipine (P < 0.0001), and -4.4 mm Hg versus amlodipine-indapamide (P < 0.0001). Clinical blood pressure control was also superior in the WIDAPLIK group (74%) compared with dual combinations (range 53% to 61%).
The GMRx2_PCT trial evaluated 295 patients randomized to receive either WIDAPLIK ¼ dose, WIDAPLIK ½ dose, or placebo. At week 4, blood pressure control (less than 140/90 mm Hg) was achieved in 37% of the ¼ dose group and 65% of the ½ dose group, compared to 70% for placebo (both doses P < 0.001 vs placebo).
Addressing Critical Treatment Gaps
The approval addresses significant unmet medical needs in hypertension management. In the US, nearly half of adults have hypertension and only around one in four have their blood pressure under control. Hypertension is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, stroke and heart failure and is estimated to cause 460,000 deaths in the US each year.
"Data show that most patients with hypertension will require two or more medicines to bring their blood pressure under control," said Mark Mallon, Chief Executive Officer of George Medicines. "WIDAPLIK can provide patients with hypertension, including those who are starting treatment, with a different approach to control their blood pressure."
Dr. Paul Whelton, Show Chwan Chair of Global Public Health at Tulane University and Past President of the World Hypertension League, emphasized the clinical significance: "Single pill combination antihypertensive therapy has great potential to improve hypertension control in the US and worldwide. Most patients with hypertension need multiple therapies to achieve their blood pressure goals."
Safety Profile and Dosing Options
WIDAPLIK is available in three dosage forms: 10/1.25/0.625 mg, 20/2.5/1.25 mg, and 40/5/2.5 mg, offering flexibility for different patient populations. In clinical trials, the most common adverse event reported was symptomatic hypotension. The safety profile showed good tolerability with no increase in withdrawal from treatment due to adverse events in both Phase 3 trials.
The medication carries a boxed warning regarding fetal toxicity, requiring discontinuation as soon as possible after pregnancy is detected. WIDAPLIK is contraindicated in patients with anuria, known hypersensitivity to its components, and should not be co-administered with aliskiren in diabetic patients.
Development Foundation and Future Plans
George Medicines is an independent spin-out from The George Institute for Global Health, and WIDAPLIK's development built on earlier research including the 700-patient TRIUMPH trial in Sri Lanka, which demonstrated that low-dose triple combination therapy led to increased proportions of patients achieving target blood pressure goals versus usual care.
The company has also conducted the Nigerian VERONICA trial, which compared the triple combination with standard of care and reported better blood pressure lowering with good tolerability. A global trial investigating GMRx2's potential for stroke prevention in people with intracerebral hemorrhage is ongoing.
With planning underway for the US commercial launch and further regulatory submissions in other territories anticipated during 2025, George Medicines is positioning to address the global burden of hypertension through this novel therapeutic approach.
