Stevo Julius Award for Education in Hypertension Granted to Two Pioneers in Hypertension Research

28 Jun 2002

BASEL, June 27--PRNewswire-FirstCall-AsiaNet


Prestigious Award Presented by the International Society of Hypertension


John Laragh, MD and Jeremiah Stamler, MD, both known worldwide for their significant contributions to the research and understanding of hypertension,and the leadership they have provided to many young scientists,today received the Stevo Julius Award for Education in Hypertension. Dr Laragh's role in understanding the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) and its subsequent inhibition was a critical breakthrough and led to significant advances in the treatment of heart disease. Dr Stamler's landmark research into risk factors for coronary heart disease greatly influenced practice in terms of the prevention and control of cardiac disease. The award was presented to Drs Laragh and Stamler by the International Society of Hypertension during the joint meeting of the International Society of Hypertension and the European Society of Hypertension. The award was supported by an educational grant from Novartis Pharma AG (NYSE: NVS).

"As a world leader in cardiovascular research and therapies, Novartis is honored to partner with the International Society of Hypertension in sponsoring the prestigious Stevo Julius Award for Education in Hypertension," said Joerg Reinhardt, Global Head of Development for Novartis Pharma AG. "We applaud Drs Laragh and Stamler for their outstanding achievements and discoveries in hypertension and other cardiovascular disease.Together,they have fundamentally changed our understanding of hypertension, which has led to improved survival and enhanced quality of life for millions who suffer from this disease."

The Stevo Julius Award for Education in Hypertension was established by the Executive Committee of the International Society of Hypertension to honor Dr Julius' critical contributions to hypertension education. The award is presented to individuals who demonstrate distinction in the education of scientists and specialists in hypertension or in hypertension education of the medical profession at large. Stevo Julius, MD, is Professor of Medicine and Physiology at the University of Michigan.

"I am delighted and honored by this year's choice of Drs. Stamler and Laragh as recipients of the Stevo Julius Award for Education in Hypertension," said Stevo Julius, MD. "Both Dr Stamler and Laragh are renowned figures in the field and have made early and seminal contributions to the understanding of hypertension. In addition, both have served as mentors to numerous scientists and remain deeply engaged in promoting public knowledge about hypertension."

Dr Laragh discovered the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone endocrine control system and showed that it was a major factor in regulating normal blood pressure with body sodium and potassium content. He proved that excess plasma renin-angiotensin and aldosterone levels cause malignant hypertension and its fatal vascular damage to the eyes, brain, heart and kidneys. He then implicated milder excesses in plasma renin-angiotensin as the cause of most essential hypertension and also as the vascular-toxic agent causing heart attack, heart failure, or stroke in them. Dr Laragh established three ways to block plasma renin system activity at three different sites: beta blockers, saralasin (the first angiotensin receptor blocker, or ARB), and teprotide (the first angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, or ACE inhibitor). Dr Laragh's research thus provided new understanding of the relationship between the renin system, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disorders -- and thereby also revolutionized treatments of these disorders.

Throughout his career, Dr Stamler has led several landmark studies in the causation and prevention of major cardiovascular diseases, and their key risk factors, including high blood pressure. Some of these are the Michael Reese estrogen trial, the Chicago Coronary Prevention Evaluation Program, the National Diet-Heart Study, the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial, the Hypertension Detection and Follow-Up Program trial, the Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly trial, the Primary Prevention of Hypertension trial, and the DASH trials on the effects of dietary patterns and of salt on blood pressure. Dr Stamler spearheaded pivotal Chicago population studies, which have followed 4,500 adult men and women for over 25 years and led to critical new understanding about the relationships among lifestyles, risk factors, and mortality from heart disease and stroke. Dr Stamler also developed the Chicago Coronary Prevention Evaluation Program, the first multi-factor primary prevention trial of cardiovascular disease ever conducted, and the international cooperative INTERSALT and INTERMAP studies of 15,000 adults elucidating the influences of multiple dietary factors on blood pressure.

"On behalf of the International Society for Hypertension and Novartis, I consider it an honor that Dr Laragh and Dr Stamler have accepted this year's award. I cannot think of two more worthy individuals. Both Drs Laragh and Stamler have made discoveries which have paved the way to advancements in prevention and treatment, leading to improved longevity of human life. They uphold the values and leadership for which this award was originally established," said Professor A. Mimran, President of International Society of Hypertension.

Novartis, the makers of the antihypertensive Diovan(R) (valsartan), is committed to future developments in hypertension and cardiovascular conditions. To this end, Diovan is supported by the world's largest clinical trial programme for an ARB. The program includes the recently completed Val-HeFT trial (patients with heart failure) and three major ongoing multinational morbidity and mortality trials: VALUE (high risk hypertensive patients); VALIANT (post-myocardial infarction patients), and NAVIGATOR (patients with impaired glucose tolerance at high risk for cardiovascular events).

This release contains certain forward-looking statements relating to the business of Novartis, which can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "world leader in cardiovascular research and treatment" and "committed to future developments in hypertension and cardiovascular conditions", "world's largest clinical trial programme for an ARB" or similar expressions. Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. There are no guarantees that the aforementioned data will result additional regulatory approvals for Diovan or in increased sales of Diovan. Any such commercialization can be affected by, amongst other things, uncertainties relating to product development, regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally, the ability to obtain or maintain patent or other proprietary intellectual property protection and competition in general, as well as factors discussed in the Company's Form 20F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.

Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) is a world leader in healthcare with core businesses in pharmaceuticals, consumer health, generics, eye-care, and animal health. In 2001, the Group's businesses achieved sales of CHF 32.0 billion (USD 19.1 billion) and a net income of CHF 7.0 billion (USD 4.2 billion). The Group invested approximately CHF 4.2 billion (USD 2.5 billion) in R&D. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ about 71,000 people and operate in over 140 countries around the world. For further information please consult http://www.novartis.com


SOURCE: Novartis International AG


CONTACT: Gordon Spencer

Novartis International AG

Tel. +41 61 324 5029


Web site: http://www.novartis.com






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