Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Otsuka) announces that on August 26 it will begin co-promotion in Japan with Novartis Pharma K.K. (Novartis Pharma) of Novartis' Entresto^® Tablets. Entresto (generic name is sucvitril valsartan sodium hydrate) is a new class of drugs called angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitors for patients undergoing treatment for chronic heart failure.

Heart failure, a disease in which the heart's ability to pump blood is compromised, leads to shortness of breath and swelling in the legs, feet, abdomen and elsewhere due to fluid build-up. Heart failure often advances chronically and progressively, becoming more severe with repeated acute exacerbations¹ and often shortening the normal lifespans of patients.

Entresto suppresses excessive activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), one of the factors that exacerbate the pathology of heart failure. Additionally, Entresto is compensatory for RAAS by enhancing the endogenous natriuretic peptide system and correcting imbalanced neurohumoral factors as a single agent. As such, the drug represents a new approach in the treatment of chronic heart failure.

Novartis Pharma and Otsuka will jointly provide information on Entresto to medical professionals across Japan.

Newly approved in Japan, Entresto has received regualtory approval in more than 100 countries worldwide.

References

1. 1. 1
      1. The Japanese Circulation Society/Japanese Heart Failure Association Joint Guidelines: Acute and Chronic Heart Failure Clinical Practice Guidelines (revised 2017)