Section Review: Cardiovascular & Renal: Recent advances in the development of dual angiotensin-converting enzyme and neutral endopeptidase inhibitors

Abstract

The development of single molecules which possess the ability to inhibit both of the membrane-bound zinc metalloproteases, angiotensin-converting enzyme EC 2.4.15.1 (ACE) and neutral endopeptidase EC 3.4.24.11 (NEP), has been the focus of much recent drug discovery effort. These agents represent a new class of cardiovascular agent that should be more effective in treating a broader range of hypertensive patient and in congestive heart failure (CHF). Dual ACE and NEP inhibitors are currently under clinical investigation for hypertension and CHF and several more are under preclinical study. This review focuses on ACE/NEP dual inhibitors reported in the patent and primary literature over the past four years.