NHS & Novartis Deal ‘To Improve Life Science Sector’
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The UK’s life science industry could be given a boost over the next few years thanks to a deal being made between the NHS and Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis.
Earlier this month, the pharma giant revealed its intention to join forces with the health service in England in order to develop an effective treatment for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the UK.
It wants to give NHS patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) the opportunity to access a first-in-class cholesterol-lowering drug called Inclisiran.
This treatment is currently in Phase III of clinical development for secondary prevention patients. Once approved by the National Institute for Health Care Excellence (NICE), this would be offered to high-risk patients via a population-level agreement.
Vas Narasimhan, chief executive officer of Novartis, stated: “Novartis has a unique opportunity with inclisiran to open up a new chapter in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, the world’s leading cause of mortality and disability.”
This would have a significant impact on many Brits, considering cardiovascular disease was the second main cause of death in the UK just six years ago.
According to a study entitled ‘Trends in the epidemiology of cardiovascular disease in the UK’, published in the British Medical Journal, mortality as a result of the condition is declining. However, it stated: “CVD burden comes not only from deaths, but also from those living with the disease.”
It reported that CVD mortality dropped by 68 per cent between 1980 and 2013. Despite this, prescriptions and operations for the disease have risen between 2006 and 2016.
Therefore, finding a treatment would not only help patients with the condition, but also ease the burden on the NHS.
The collaboration between Novartis and the NHS will also see a large-scale clinical trial taking place to evaluate the use of inclisiran to very high-risk patients, even before they have had their first cardiac episode.
In addition to this, an industry and academic consortium will be created to look at ways of improving the manufacturing of oligonucleotide medicines, including inclisiran, with regards to increasing efficiency and scaling up.
Mr Narasimhan added: “We’re confident that innovative approaches like this will enable us to accelerate access timelines, deliver on our broader commitment to generating leading scientific evidence, and ensure continuous improvement in manufacturing efficiency and optimisation.”
It is also important to raise awareness of preventative measures to help high-risk patients avoid developing CVD. According to the NHS, this includes giving up smoking, having a diet that is lower in cholesterol, exercising more regularly to lower weight for a healthy heart, and eating nutritional foods to reduce chances of developing diabetes.
Indeed, those who are overweight or obese – with a body mass index of 25 or above – are more likely to develop diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as have high cholesterol. These are the biggest risk factors for CVD, alongside drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, being over 50 years old, and being male.
Those who are particularly at risk of developing CVD should adopt a healthier lifestyle and lose weight. They might also have to take medication, such as statins to lower cholesterol levels, to reduce their risk.
This new medication from Novartis could be an exciting development for the life science marketing world. To find out more about lead generation, get in touch with us today.