Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Combination Aliskiren/Amlodipine in Patients Not Adequately Responding to Aliskiren Alone

A Randomized, Eight-week Double-blind, Parallel-group, Multicenter Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of the Combination of Aliskiren / Amlodipine (300/5 mg and 300/10 mg) in Comparison With Aliskiren 300 mg in Patients With Essential Hypertension Not Adequately Responsive to Aliskiren 300 mg Monotherapy

This study will assess the safety and efficacy of combination aliskiren/amlodipine in patients not adequately controlled with aliskiren alone

Inclusion Criteria:

• Newly diagnosed patients or patients who have not been treated for hypertension within the 4 weeks prior to Visit 1 must have a mean sitting Diastolic Blood Pressure (msDBP) ≥ 95 mmHg and < 110 mmHg at Visits 1 and 2
• Patients who have been treated for hypertension within the 4 weeks prior to - Visit 1 must have a msDBP ≥ 90 mmHg and < 110 mmHg at Visit 2
• All patients must have a msDBP ≥ 90 mmHg and < 110 mmHg at Visit 4

Exclusion Criteria:

• Severe hypertension
• Pregnant or nursing (lactating) women
• Women of child-bearing potential
• Previous or current diagnosis of heart failure New York Heart Association (NYHA Class II-IV)
• Serum potassium ≥ 5.3 mEq/L (mmol/L) at Visit 1
• Uncontrolled Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes mellitus
• Hypersensitivity to renin inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, or to drugs with Similar chemical structures
• History of hypertensive encephalopathy or cerebrovascular accident, or history of transient ischemic attack (TIA), myocardial infarction, coronary bypass surgery, or any percutaneous coronary intervention

Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply.