Farxiga Showed Consistent Benefit Across Heart Failure Durations and CVRM Conditions

AstraZeneca has presented new analyses from its DELIVER Phase III trial, suggesting the drug Farxiga (dapagliflozin) offers consistent benefits for patients with heart failure, irrespective of the duration of their condition or the presence of other cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic (CVRM) diseases. The findings were shared at the European Society of Cardiology's Heart Failure 2023 congress.

The DELIVER trial's prespecified analysis examined Farxiga's effect in patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) greater than 40 percent. Benefits were observed consistently across all heart failure duration categories: under 6 months, 6-12 months, 1-2 years, 2-5 years, and over 5 years. The study indicated that patients with longer-standing heart failure, who were older and had comorbidities, experienced a greater absolute benefit from the treatment.

An additional post hoc analysis, simultaneously published in JACC Heart Failure, evaluated the prevalence of overlapping CVRM conditions and patient responses to Farxiga. It found that over 80 percent of heart failure patients with LVEF >40% had at least one other CVRM condition, and 20 percent had three. Farxiga was well-tolerated, and its benefits remained consistent regardless of these co-existing conditions.

Dr. Scott Solomon, a principal investigator for the DELIVER trial, stated that "it is never too late for patients to benefit from treatment with an SGLT2 inhibitor such as dapagliflozin," highlighting its consistent efficacy even in long-standing heart failure.

Ruud Dobber, Executive Vice-President of AstraZeneca's BioPharmaceuticals Business Unit, noted that these findings underscore the commonality of co-existing CVRM conditions like type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease in heart failure patients. He emphasized the company's commitment to transforming care for these patients.