Novartis builds a blockbuster for Entresto, beating a cheap ECA inhibitor – or not – Endpoints News



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Novartis management has achieved the positive results they have been expecting from Entresto's PIONEER-HF study to confirm accelerated sales of heart medicines.

Initially slow, prevented by reluctant doctors from adopting a new drug, and by payers who were not too happy with the price, Entresto now manages to prove itself. In the third quarter, the drug brought in $ 271 million. And now, they will seek continued acceleration after the drug has achieved the primary endpoint and key figures for survival and rehospitalization as part of a comparative study with enalapril, an inexpensive ACE inhibitor. .

Shreeram Aradhye

The researchers compared the two drugs in patients with heart failure with a reduced ejection fraction. And they left with significantly better results for a key biomarker – NT-proBNP – at weeks 4 and 8. There was also a 46% reduction in the risk of death, heart failure, rehospitalization (staying at the hospital). 39, hospital> 24 hours), need to insert a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) or listing for a heart transplant compared with enalapril over 8 weeks. "

But the test results also sparked discussions on Twitter about the doses used in the trial.

The investigators involved neglected this point.

Eric Velazquez

"With the results of the PIONEER-HF test – once acute heart failure diagnosed, patients are hemodynamically stabilized and a low ejection fraction is confirmed – sacubitril / valsartan must be instituted quickly to reduce neurohormonal activation and the risk of heart failure post-discharge hospitalization, "said Eric Velazquez of Yale.

The trial also builds on Novartis' ambitious testing strategy, which is intended to support its argument for early drug delivery to patients.

Novartis Director Shreeram Aradhye said:

Parallel to the PARADIGM-HF study data, which demonstrates the superior benefit of Entresto versus an ACEi with respect to cardiovascular mortality and hospitalizations due to heart failure at ambulatory patients, there is now consistent evidence for the use of Entresto in outpatient and outpatient settings.

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