US FDA approves Jardiance? (empagliflozin) to treat adults living with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction
RIDGEFIELD,?Conn.?and?INDIANAPOLIS,?Aug. 18, 2021?/PRNewswire/ --?Jardiance??(empagliflozin) 10 mg has been approved by the?U.S. Food and Drug Administration?to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death plus hospitalization for heart failure in adults with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF),?Boehringer Ingelheim?and?Eli Lilly and Company?(NYSE: LLY) announced today.
Jardiance is not for people with type 1 diabetes as it may increase the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis in these patients. It is not for use to improve glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes with an eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73 m2?as it is likely to be ineffective in this setting based upon its mechanism of action.
Jardiance can be initiated in adults with HFrEF with an eGFR as low as 20 mL/min/1.73 m2.
"Heart failure is a chronic, debilitating cardio-renal-metabolic condition affecting over 60 million people worldwide. As the prevalence of heart failure continues to rise, the need for new treatment options is critical," said?Javed Butler, M.D., Chairman,?Department of Medicine,?University of Mississippi. "Empagliflozin is a vital new therapeutic option to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalization for adults with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction."
HFrEF, which accounts for more than half of heart failure cases, occurs when the heart muscle does not contract effectively, and less blood is pumped out to the body compared with a normally functioning heart.
This approval for Jardiance is based on results from the EMPEROR-Reduced phase III trial, which investigated the effect of adding Jardiance 10 mg versus placebo to standard of care in a broad range of 3,730 adults with and without type 2 diabetes who had heart failure (functional class II, III or IV) and a left ventricular ejection fraction of 40% or less. In the trial, Jardiance significantly reduced the relative risk of the primary composite endpoint of time to cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure by 25% (5.3% absolute risk reduction, 0.75 HR, 0.65-0.86 95% CI) versus placebo. These results were seen regardless of background heart failure standard of care treatments.
A key secondary endpoint analysis from EMPEROR-Reduced demonstrated that Jardiance helped keep patients out of the hospital by significantly reducing the relative risk of first and recurrent hospitalization for heart failure by 30% (388 events for Jardiance vs. 553 for placebo, 0.70 HR, 0.58-0.85 95% CI). The safety profile was consistent with the well-established safety profile of Jardiance.
Jardiance is contraindicated in people with hypersensitivity to empagliflozin or any of the excipients of Jardiance as reactions such as angioedema have occurred and is contraindicated in patients on dialysis.?Please see additional Important Safety Information below.
"Around half of all people with heart failure, unfortunately, are expected to die within five years of diagnosis. The risk of death increases with each hospitalization for heart failure," said?Mohamed Eid, M.D., M.P.H., M.H.A., vice president,?Clinical Development & Medical Affairs, Cardio-Metabolism & Respiratory Medicine,?Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.?"In the EMPEROR-Reduced trial, Jardiance protected a broad range of adults with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction by reducing risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalization for heart failure, regardless of their baseline heart failure medications or type 2 diabetes status, when added to standard of care. Today's FDA approval of Jardiance in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, which follows authorization for use in the EU by the?European Commission?in June, marks an important milestone in our journey to help transform care for adults with heart failure. We look forward to continuing to investigate the potential benefit of Jardiance across cardio-renal-metabolic conditions."
"Today's approval is significant for the millions of people diagnosed with this form of heart failure, offering additional hope for those who have seen limited new treatment options over the last decade," said?Jeff Emmick, M.D., Ph.D., vice president, Product Development,?Lilly. "Following EMPA-REG OUTCOME?, this is the second?U.S.?regulatory decision stemming from the EMPOWER clinical trial program, which is exploring the impact of Jardiance on major clinical cardiovascular outcomes. Jardiance is already a recognized leader for adults with type 2 diabetes, including those who also have established cardiovascular disease. We're excited to build on that legacy with this new indication that establishes Jardiance as an effective treatment for adults with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction ? regardless of whether they have type 2 diabetes."
About EMPEROR-Reduced?
EMPEROR?Reduced (NCT03057977) was a phase III international, randomized, double?blind trial that enrolled 3,730 adults with and without type 2 diabetes. All participants had heart failure (New York Heart Association?[NYHA] functional class II, III or IV) for at least 3 months and a left ventricular ejection fraction of 40% or less at their most recent assessment. At randomization, 75% of patients were NYHA class II, 24% were class III and 0.5% were class IV.
Participants were randomized to once-daily Jardiance 10 mg (n=1,863) or placebo (n=1,867), on top of treatment with guideline-directed heart failure therapy. Median follow-up time was 16 months. The composite primary endpoint was defined as time to first event of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure.
Prioritizing Cardio-Renal-Metabolic Care
Through research and educational initiatives,?Boehringer Ingelheim?and?Lilly?are driven to redefine?care for people with cardio-renal-metabolic conditions, a group of interconnected disorders that affect more than one billion people worldwide and are a leading cause of death.
The cardiovascular, renal (kidney) and metabolic systems are closely intertwined?and share many of the same disease-related?pathways.?Dysfunction in one system may accelerate the onset of dysfunction in others, resulting in the progression of comorbid?diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart failure and chronic kidney disease. Conversely, improving the health of?one system can lead to positive effects across?the others?and can help reduce the risk for further complications.
Understanding their interconnected nature, we are working to advance treatments for people with cardio-renal-metabolic conditions. It is only through a holistic approach to care that we can truly transform outcomes and restore the harmony between these critical systems.
What?is?JARDIANCE??(www.jardiance.com)
JARDIANCE is?a prescription?medicine used to:
- lower blood sugar along with diet and exercise in adults with type 2 diabetes
- reduce the risk of cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes who also have known cardiovascular disease
- reduce the risk of cardiovascular death and hospitalization for heart failure (when the heart is weak and cannot pump enough blood to the rest of your body) in adults with heart failure
- Ketoacidosis (increased ketones in your blood or urine).?Ketoacidosis is a serious condition which needs to be treated in the hospital. Ketoacidosis may lead to death. Ketoacidosis occurs in people with type 1 diabetes and can also occur in people with type 2 diabetes taking JARDIANCE,?even if blood sugar is less than 250 mg/dL. Ketoacidosis has also happened in people with diabetes who were sick or who had surgery during treatment with JARDIANCE.?Stop taking JARDIANCE and call your healthcare provider right away or go to the nearest hospital emergency room if you get any of the following symptoms,?and if possible, check for ketones in your urine:
- nausea
- vomiting
- stomach-area (abdominal) pain
- tiredness
- trouble breathing
- Dehydration.?JARDIANCE?can?cause some people to become dehydrated?(the loss?of?body?water?and salt). Dehydration?may?cause you to feel dizzy, faint,?light-headed, or?weak,?especially?when?you stand up. Sudden worsening of kidney function has happened in people who are taking JARDIANCE.
- take medicines to lower your blood pressure, including water pills (diuretics)
- are on a low salt diet
- have kidney problems
- are 65 years of age or older
- Serious urinary tract infections.?Serious urinary tract infections can occur in people taking JARDIANCE and may lead to hospitalization. Tell your healthcare provider if you have symptoms of a urinary tract infection, such as a burning feeling when passing urine, a need to urinate often or right away, pain in the lower part of your stomach or pelvis, or blood in the urine. Sometimes people also may have a fever, back pain, nausea or vomiting.
- Low?blood?sugar?(hypoglycemia):?If you take JARDIANCE?with another?medicine that?can?cause low?blood sugar, such as?sulfonylurea or?insulin, your?risk?of low?blood sugar?is?higher. The dose of your?sulfonylurea or?insulin?may?need?to be lowered. Symptoms?of?low?blood?sugar?may?include:
- headache
- drowsiness
- weakness
- dizziness
- confusion
- irritability
- hunger
- fast heartbeat
- sweating
- shaking or feeling jittery
- Necrotizing fasciitis. A rare but serious bacterial infection that causes damage to the tissue under the skin in the area between and around your anus and genitals (perineum).?This bacterial infection has happened in women and men who take JARDIANCE, and may lead to hospitalization, multiple surgeries, and death.?Seek medical attention immediately if you have fever or are feeling very weak, tired or uncomfortable (malaise), and you develop any of the following symptoms in the area between and around your anus and genitals: pain or tenderness, swelling, and redness of skin (erythema).
- Vaginal?yeast?infection.?Talk?to your?healthcare provider?if you?have vaginal odor,?white or?yellowish vaginal?discharge (discharge may?be lumpy?or?look?like cottage?cheese), and/or?vaginal?itching.
- Yeast?infection?of the penis.?Swelling of an uncircumcised penis may develop that makes it difficult to pull back the skin around the tip of the penis.?Talk?to your healthcare provider?if you have redness, itching?or?swelling?of the?penis,?rash of the penis, foul smelling discharge from?the penis,?and/or?pain?in?the skin?around the?penis. Talk to your healthcare provider about what to do if you get symptoms of a yeast infection of the vagina or penis. Your healthcare provider may suggest you use an over-the-counter antifungal medicine. Talk to your healthcare provider right away if you use an over-the-counter antifungal medication and your symptoms do not go away.
- Allergic (hypersensitivity) reactions.?Symptoms?of?serious?allergic?reactions?to JARDIANCE may?include:
- swelling of your face, lips, throat, and other areas of your skin
- difficulty with swallowing or breathing
- raised, red areas on your skin (hives) If you have any?of these symptoms, stop taking JARDIANCE and contact your healthcare provider?or?go to the nearest?emergency?room?right?away.
- have kidney problems
- have liver problems
- have a history of infection of the vagina or penis
- have a history of urinary tract infections or problems with urination
- are going to have surgery. Your healthcare provider may stop your JARDIANCE before you have surgery. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are having surgery about when to stop taking JARDIANCE and when to start it again
- are eating less or there is a change in your diet
- have or have had problems with your pancreas, including pancreatitis or surgery on your pancreas
- drink alcohol very often, or drink a lot of alcohol in the short term ("binge" drinking)
- have type 1 diabetes. JARDIANCE should not be used to treat people with type 1 diabetes
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. JARDIANCE may harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant during treatment with JARDIANCE
- are breastfeeding or are planning to breastfeed. JARDIANCE may pass into your breast milk and may harm your baby. Do not breastfeed while taking JARDIANCE