Largest unmet need in cardiovascular medicine finally receives approved therapy
Eli Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim’s jointly developed drug Jardiance (empagliflozin) has been granted marketing authorisation from the European Commission (EC) for the treatment of adults with symptomatic chronic heart failure. Until now, there were no approved and clinically effective treatments addressing all forms of heart failure.
This approval marks the drug as the first and only clinically proven treatment that can significantly improve outcomes for adults across the full spectrum of symptomatic chronic heart failure, including heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). HFpEF has previously been described as the single largest unmet need in cardiovascular medicine.
“It’s estimated that over 60 million people worldwide are living with heart failure,” commented Neil Johnson, CEO of Croí – the Irish patient organisation fighting against heart disease and stroke. “This complex medical condition very often has a devastating impact on quality of life: physically, emotionally and even financially for those who can no longer work.”
Heart failure is one of the leading causes of unavoidable hospitalisations. Readmissions to hospitals among people with heart failure often lead to poor survival.
“New treatments for a heretofore underserved population of patients which can improve outcomes and reduce hospital admissions is just great news for patients,” Johnson continued. “The impact of new and emerging treatments on quality of life, from a patient and carer perspective, cannot be overstated because they provide hope and comfort in the knowledge that heart failure can be treated. This, in turn, has an enormously positive impact on overall mental health and wellbeing by decreasing anxiety, stress and worry.”
Heart failure affects more than 15 million people in Europe and causes almost two million hospital admissions yearly.
“We are delighted with the EC decision to approve empagliflozin as the first and only treatment for adults with symptomatic chronic heart failure, following our recent US FDA approval,” concluded Jeff Emmick vice president of product development at Eli Lilly. “This is an essential step forward in our efforts to advance treatment options for people with a range of cardio-renal-metabolic conditions.”
