0
0
‘Heart failure is no longer Life failure’ as JB Pharma decreases the price of critical Heart Failure medicine AZMARDA (Sacubitril-Valsartan®) by nearly 50%
JB Pharma also announces setting up 25+ Heart Failure clinics in West Bengal and 300+ across the country to create awareness and detect the condition early
8 to 12 million people suffer from Heart failure in the country and only a fraction can afford treatment
Azmarda (Sacubitril-Valsartan®), 50 mg will now be available at INR 39.6 per tablet as compared to INR 78 per tablet
Move to increase affordability and accessibility for Heart failure patients
Kolkata, January 05, 2023: JB Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd (JB Pharma), one of the fastest-growing pharmaceutical companies in India, announced a substantial price decrease of approximately 50% for the critical heart failure drug “Azmarda”. Azmarda, which contains the patented molecule Sacubitril-Valsartan is indicated for Heart failure which ails 8 to 12 million people in the country. After the price reduction, Azmarda (Sacubitril-Valsartan®), 50 mg will be available at INR 39.6 per tablet as compared to INR 78 per tablet. The prevalence of hypertension in West Bengal is 22%, with approximately one crore hypertensive adults. And hypertension is one of the leading risk factors for heart failure. The price reduction will increase the affordability, making the management of heart failure accessible to the people of West Bengal.
Commenting on the move, Vikas Khare, Vice-President, and Chronic Cluster Head, JB Pharma, said, “Being a leading player in the cardiac segment, JB has decided to take the lead in making their Azmarda drug more accessible and affordable for heart failure patients in India. This is in line with our strategy of providing innovative and quality treatment to a larger patient pool at the most affordable price points. This move will significantly reduce the overall monthly treatment cost from INR 4500 to INR 2200. The HF drug also helps in reducing hospitalization costs by around INR 1,00,000 at the minimum. The drug with reduced MRP is available to consumers from December 2022.
Heart failure is a chronic condition in which the heart doesn’t pump blood as well as it should. It is a progressive chronic syndrome characterized by a decrease in functional status and quality of life. Blood often backs up and causes fluid to build up in the lungs (congest) and in the legs. The fluid build-up can cause shortness of breath and swelling of the legs and feet. It is estimated that 8 – 12 million people in the country suffer from heart failure (HF) as a condition. It often remains undiagnosed, and patients become aware of it mostly at the end-stage.
Throwing light on the heart failure condition, Dr Dilip Kumar, Director, Medica Institute of Cardiac Sciences, Kolkata said, “Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) kill around 25-30% of people. Of the CVDs, heart failure is one of the chronic and progressive conditions in which the heart muscle is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs for blood. Coronary artery disease is the most common cause of heart failure. While hypertension, diabetes, and obesity are risk factors for heart failure, breathlessness and swelling are the most common symptoms of heart failure.” And the incidence of heart failure in India has been rising gradually.”
Deliberating on the treatment of heart failure, Prof Dr Rabin Chakraborty, Senior Consultant Interventional Cardiologist & Electrophysiologist, Medica Superspecialty Hospital, Kolkata
said, “Number of Heart Failure patients are progressively rising worldwide. Heart failure is somewhat a different medical condition from other conditions like heart attack and cardiac arrest. In heart failure, when the pumping function is below 40 per cent, it means one’s heart isn’t pumping enough blood and may be failing. This is the point where treatment for heart failure should be started. There are some drugs for heart failure, which reduce the deterioration of the heart. Besides drugs, lifestyle modification like regular exercise and a balanced diet are quintessential to thwart the progression of the heart failure condition.”
“Heart Failure is a devastating condition and it’s important to increase awareness about the condition. In that regard, we will also institute 25+ ‘Heart failure’ clinics in West Bengal, and 300+ across the country so that patients can detect this medical condition early and make informed health decisions,” added Mr Khare.
HF patients were traditionally prescribed only ARBs (Angiotensin receptor blockers) / AI (Ace Inhibitors) as the main medication. Sacubitril+ Valsartan, launched in 2017, is considered superior to ARBs/AIs in raising EF (Ejection Fraction), hence highly effective for HFrEF patients. Sacubitril+ Valsartan is currently prescribed to 30-35% of HFrEF patients while doctors believe the share can go up to 50-65% with the right pricing.
