Novartis receives CHMP backing for heart failure drug Entresto

Novartis has announced that its new heart failure drug Entresto has been recommended for regulatory approval by the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP).

The therapy has been endorsed for European Commission approval as a treatment for adult patients with symptomatic chronic heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).

This decision was based on positive results from the 8,442-patient PARADIGM-HF study, which was stopped early when Entresto was shown to significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular death when compared to an established therapy.

It is hoped that the drug could become the new standard of care for this condition, replacing an established treatment strategy that has been in place for more than 20 years.

David Epstein, division head of Novartis Pharmaceuticals, said: "Already we're hearing about the benefits US doctors and HFrEF patients are experiencing with Entresto and hope to receive a final green-light from the European Commission soon."

This comes after the firm received European regulatory approval for Farydak, an innovative new treatment for multiple myeloma, earlier this month.