Novartis' heart failure drug Entresto gets EU approval

Swiss pharma major Novartis (NOVN: VX) on Tuesday said the European Commission has approved its Entresto (sacubitril/ valsartan) to treat symptomatic chronic heart failure.

David Epstein, division head, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, said: "We know that people living with heart failure face a high risk of death and have a worse quality of life than those with almost any other chronic condition, so it is very meaningful for reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) patients in Europe that we're able to offer a new first in class treatment option."

The approval comes following a study showing Entresto significantly reduced the risk of cardiovascular death versus ACE-inhibitor enalapril. At the end of the study patients who were given Entresto were more likely to be alive and less likely to have been hospitalized for heart failure than those given enalapril. Analysis of safety data showed that Entresto had a similar tolerability profile to enalapril.