Novartis’ Diovan ‘protects against cardiovascular events’

Scientists researching angiotensin receptor blockade drugs (ARBs) in Japanese patients have found that valsartan, marketed by Novartis as Diovan, can protect against cardiovascular events more so than other blood pressure drugs.

In a study of 3,000 patients conducted by the Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, patients were randomised to receive either valsartan in addition to their current therapy, or a non-ARB drug with their current treatment.

The investigators halted the trial early for ethical reasons after it was found that valsartan provides an “unequivocal” benefit. Patients taking valsartan exhibited a 39 per cent reduced risk of cardiovascular events, largely due to a fall in the number of strokes, incidents of heart failure and angina pectoris.

Dr Bjorn Dahlof, associate professor of medicine at Sahlgrenska University Hospital of the University of Gothenburg, is quoted by DGDispatch as telling the European Society of Cardiology World Congress of Cardiology: “For the first time, the clinical value of valsartan added to the benefits of blood pressure control, are extended to an Asian population.”

“We also believe that these results – seen in previous studies in other populations – reach back again to be generalisable to Western communities,” he adeed.

Dr Dahlof concluded by saying that although other drugs can offer a comparable level of blood pressure control, it is worth considering if there are any other benefits to a drug that might make it a superior option.

Novartis claims that Diovan and its other hypertension therapy, Lotrel, were the top products by sales in their therapeutic categories during the first half of 2006. Diovan in particular has a 30 per cent global share for angiotensin receptor blocker drugs, the company revealed.

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