Potential Novartis blockbuster misses the mark in new study

July 29, 2019

Novartis’ Entresto already has the potential to hit $3 billion in sales for its current heart failure indication, and with another indication in mind, the company hoped sales could hit $5 billion. But results of a new study have put a damper on those prospects.

The twice-a-day drug has been approved for patients whose heart muscles do not contract normally. The company was also testing the treatment on patients whose ventricles do not relax effectively, but ultimately, said the drug “narrowly missed” the mark in a recent study.

Entresto was approved in 2015 but has recently seek a spike in sales. According to Reuters, revenue for the drug rose 80 percent in the first half of this year.

With the discouraging data for a new indication in hand, the company said it would discuss next steps with clinical and regulatory experts at an upcoming European Society of Cariology meeting in September.

Read the Reuters report.