Mineralocorticoid receptor modulators: a patent review (2007 - 2012).

Introduction: Considered for years as a 'renal hormone' leading to the control of renal excretion of minerals (explaining the term 'mineralocorticoid' used to describe this hormone), aldosterone is now recognized as a key factor in several diseases including hypertension, heart failure, arrhythmia, metabolic and kidney diseases, to cite only a few of them.

Areas Covered: In this review article, the authors aim to cover information provided by patents of the years 2007 through 2012. The rationale of writing this article is to cover the most important patents that can progress the field with new important discoveries.