Novartis joins the Global Chagas Disease Coalition; to launch Entresto study

At the Annual Meeting of the Global Chagas Disease Coalition in Barcelona, Spain, Swiss pharma giant Novartis (NOVN: VX) said that it is joining the Coalition as a member contributor.

In addition, the company announced its commitment to launch a multinational, prospective, randomized study with heart failure drug, Entresto(sacubitril/valsartan), in people with chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy, one form of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. This is the first definitive morbidity and mortality study to assess a potential therapy for cardiac disease in this underserved patient population.

"Today marks another milestone in our longstanding commitment to the fight against neglected tropical diseases, and we are proud to partner with the Global Chagas Disease Coalition and its members to help improve access to diagnosis and reimagine treatment for people with Chagas disease," said Patrice Matchaba, group head, global health and corporate responsibility at Novartis. "It is only by joining forces that we can succeed in bringing our innovation to the people that need it."