The European Commission has granted marketing authorization to Boehringer Ingelheim for a new strength of its fixed dose combination antihypertensive drug MicardisPlus 80/25 in all 27 EU member states.

The drug will be launched in Germany and Denmark in the coming weeks, followed soon by Ireland, the United Kingdom and the rest of the EU, according to the Ingelheim, Germany-based company.

The product is licensed for the treatment of hypertension in patients whose blood pressure is not adequately controlled on MicardisPlus 80/12.5 (80 mg telmisartan/12.5 mg hydrochlorothiazide) or patients, who have been previously stabilized on telmisartan and hydrochlorothiazide separately at the same dosages, the company said.

The new strength will be marketed by Boehringer in the 27 countries of the EU under the brand name MicardisPlus 80/25, and the company’s co-marketing partners will market the new drug in selected countries under its own brands.