Researchers at the University of Auckland have teamed up with Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Hyderabad to undertake trials of a new Polypill that could provide a vastly simpler and effective treatment for heart disease.

The global trial would involve 600 people, recruited from five continents. They would be drawn from New Zealand, India, Australia, Brazil, China, South Africa, the US and the UK. The trial will start in 2007 and will feature people with a higher risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

The Polypill will contain — aspirin, a statin to lower cholesterol and two blood pressure drugs, which are widely used at present. The trial is expected to confirm that these medicines are safe and tolerable when taken together as well as effective when combined in one fixed-dose pill.

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