The "game changing" heart failure drug Entresto (sacubitril/valsartan)-formerly known as LCZ696-was one of the top five clinical advances in cardiology in 2015,according to leading cardiologists contacted by MedPage Today.

The Novartis drug,approved by the FDA in July,is the first to demonstrate a mortality benefit when compared to enalapril.

Leading cardiologists were asked by MedPage Today to name the 2015 research that "had the greatest impact on clinical practice." Forty-six responded by naming one or more top clinical advances of 2015.Based on this "vote" Entresto ranked in the top five.Here are the results.

1.SPRINT Trial

2.PCSK9 inhibitors approval

3.Entresto approval

4.EMPA-REG

5.Interventional (ABSORB III,TAVR)



Among those who chose Entresto (valsartan/sacubitril) were Clyde Yancy,MD,of Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago; the Cleveland Clinic's Steven E.Nissen,MD; Keith Fox,MD,of Edinburgh University; and Noel Bairey Merz,MD,of Cedars Sinai Health System in Lox Angeles.

Nissen called the drug "truly a breakthrough approach."

Bairey Merz said it "will substantially save lives."

Despite the excitement surrounding Entresto,Novartis says that initial sales have been slow.

The Entresto approval was based on the PARADIGM-HF study which "showed across-the-board reduction in risk for cardiovascular events when compared to well-dosed ACE inhibitor therapy,including a 20% reduction in hospitalization and comparable reduction in mortality," said James Januzzi,MD,of Massachusetts General Hospital.Januzzi predicted that "valsartan/sacubitril will replace ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers as first line therapy for heart failure."

"We are getting closer to the point where we can extirpate 'failure' from the syndrome we now know as heart failure," Yancy concluded.

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