The renin inhibitory effect of the non-peptide renin inhibitor S 2864 (N-[N-(3-(4-Amino-1-piperidinyl-carbonyl)-2(R)-benzylpropionyl)-L- histidinyl]-(2S,3R,4S)-1-cyclohexyl-3,4-dihydroxy-6(2-pyridyl)-hexane-2- amide acetate, CAS 135683-92-0) was characterized in vitro and in vivo in primates. In vitro, S 2864 inhibited the activity of purified human plasma renin with an IC50 of 3.8 x 10(-10) mol/l and did not affect related human aspartyl proteases like human cathepsin E, cathepsin D or pepsin. In vivo, in anesthetized sodium depleted rhesus monkeys S 2864 decreased mean arterial blood pressure after intraduodenal (i.d.) administration of 2 mg/kg significantly by 27% from 94 +/- 8 to 62 +/- 6 mmHg for 90 min. Heart rate was not changed. Cumulative intravenous (i.v.) administration of S 2864 or remikiren in doses of 1, 10 and 30 micrograms/kg significantly decreased systemic blood pressure, dP/dtmax and cardiac output while heart rate was not changed. Plasma angiotensin II (ANG II) levels as well as renin activity were dose dependently reduced after 10, 30 and 60 min. It is concluded that S 2864 is an effective specific inhibitor of human renin eliciting marked blood pressure lowering activities in primates.