Novartis receives provisional NICE recommendation for heart failure drug

Novartis' novel heart failure drug sacubitril valsartan has received a provisional recommendation from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

The new draft guidance from the regulator recommends the drug for treating chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction in patients who are on a stable dose of ACE inhibitors and who have a left ventricular ejection fraction of 35 percent or less.

Sacubitril stops the enzyme neprilysin from working properly, thus allowing the blood vessels to relax and reducing blood pressure. Valsartan, meanwhile, belongs to a class of drugs called angiotensin II receptor blockers, and also works by lowering blood pressure.

Consultees, healthcare professionals and members of the public are now being asked to comment on the draft recommendations until January 15th 2016.

Meindert Boysen, programme director for technology appraisals at NICE, said: "Sacubitril valsartan is an innovative drug that will offer people with this condition a further important treatment option with the potential to prevent deaths and reduce hospital admissions."