Is an Entresto Generic Available? Plus, 4 Other Entresto FAQs
Key takeaways:
Entresto (sacubitril / valsartan) is a brand-name heart failure medication. A generic version has been FDA approved. But based on Entresto’s available patents, the generic version likely won’t be available until at least 2025.
Entresto is a combination of two medications. These medications work together to help take stress off the heart and lower the risk of heart failure complications.
Entresto can start lowering the risk of heart failure-related hospitalizations within 30 days of starting it. And studies suggest it may extend life expectancy by about 1.5 years compared to another heart failure medication called enalapril (Vasotec).
There are ways to save on Entresto. If you’re eligible, a manufacturer savings card can help you access Entresto for as little as $10 per prescription. A patient assistance program is also available.
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Table of contents
Millions of people in the U.S. have heart failure. This chronic health condition can cause uncomfortable symptoms, such as shortness of breath and swelling of the legs or feet. Many people living with heart failure take one or more medications. Entresto (sacubitril / valsartan) is one example.
Entresto is a first-choice medication for many people with heart failure. This is because it can help reduce symptoms and possibly extend lifespan.
If you’re just starting Entresto, it’s common to have questions about it. Top of mind for many people is whether there’s an Entresto generic available yet. Others may want to know how it works. Below, you’ll find answers to five frequently asked questions about Entresto.
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1. When will an Entresto generic be available?
Entresto is currently only available as a brand-name medication. An official date for when a generic version might launch hasn’t been announced yet. But it’ll likely be at least another year. Entresto’s first of several patents expires in July 2025. So generic versions could potentially launch after that.
In May 2024, the FDA approved the first generic versions of Entresto. This means that once brand-name Entresto’s first patent expires, a generic version may launch right away.
How do you take Entresto? Most people take it twice a day. But your response to the medication helps determine your specific Entresto dosage.
What side effects can Entresto cause? Read about Entresto’s side effects — from dizziness to cough — and how to manage them.
What medications does Entresto interact with? Read more about Entresto’s interactions and how to avoid them.
2. What does Entresto do?
Entresto is an angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor. It's the only medication in its class. It’s a combination of two medications: sacubitril and valsartan.
Sacubitril is a neprilysin inhibitor. It blocks a protein in your body called neprilysin. This action allows sacubitril to:
Increase levels of heart-protective proteins in your body
Improve blood flow throughout your body, including to your kidneys
Prevent damage to the heart
Help your kidneys drain excess fluid from the bloodstream better
But sacubitril can also lead to the accumulation of a protein called angiotensin II. Too much of this protein can raise blood pressure and worsen heart failure. This is where the valsartan component comes in.
Valsartan is an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB). It blocks the activity of angiotensin II. It helps regulate blood pressure and protect the kidneys. But it can also help protect the heart from damage and lowers the risk of heart failure complications. These actions make ARBs (without sacubitril) a first-choice heart failure treatment.
Valsartan is also available by itself, sold as a generic medication and under the brand name Diovan. But taking valsartan and sacubitril together can provide better health outcomes. So it’s possible you may start treatment with valsartan and then transition to Entresto. Your cardiologist will help you make this decision.
3. Does Entresto lower blood pressure?
Yes, Entresto can lower blood pressure. This is due to the valsartan component. On its own, valsartan is commonly prescribed as a blood pressure medication.
In many cases, lowering blood pressure is beneficial when it comes to treating heart failure. It helps take stress off the heart. But having blood pressure that’s too low (hypotension) isn’t good, either. It can cause dizziness or fainting. And there’s some evidence that hypotension could raise the risk of complications for some people with heart failure.
So while Entresto is expected to lower blood pressure, you should let your cardiac (heart) care team know if it goes too low. Your care team can help determine an ideal blood pressure range for you. They can also let you know if you should check your blood pressure at home and how often.
4. How long does it take for Entresto to work?
Entresto starts working within hours of your first dose. You might notice some effects, such as lower blood pressure, soon after you start it.
Its full benefits can take a bit longer to realize. In clinical trials, Entresto began to significantly lower the risk of heart failure hospitalizations within 30 days of starting treatment. The risk of rehospitalization (a second hospital visit for the same reason) also significantly decreased within 30 days. What’s more, Entresto provides greater benefits the longer you take it.
5. How long does Entresto extend life?
It’s hard to say how long Entresto might extend your life. Many factors affect a person’s life expectancy. But in clinical trials, Entresto extended people’s lives by an average of about 1.5 years compared to enalapril (Vasotec). Enalapril is another first-choice heart failure medication that’s been around for decades.
How to save on Entresto
There are ways to save on Entresto, which is only available as a brand-name medication. GoodRx can help you navigate between copay savings cards and patient assistance programs to save money on your prescription.
Save with a free trial. Entresto’s manufacturer offers a free 30-day trial of the medication. You can use this free trial regardless of whether you have insurance or what type of insurance you have.
Save with a copay savings card. If you have commercial insurance, you may be eligible to pay as little as $10 for Entresto using a savings card from the manufacturer.
Save with patient assistance programs. If you’re uninsured or underinsured, you may be eligible for Entresto’s patient assistance program, which offers the medication free of cost.
The bottom line
Entresto (sacubitril / valsartan) is a first-choice heart failure medication. It’s currently only available as a brand-name medication. The FDA has approved a generic version of Entresto. But based on Entresto’s patent expiration date, it likely won’t launch until at least 2025.
Entresto is a combination of two medications. These components work together to protect the heart and improve blood flow, among other actions. Entresto can start lowering the risk of heart failure hospitalizations within 30 days of starting it. And studies suggest it may extend life expectancy by about 1.5 years compared to enalapril (Vasotec).
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References
Bozkurt, B., et al. (2022). Neprilysin inhibitors in heart failure: The science, mechanism of action, clinical studies, and unanswered questions. JACC: Basic to Translational Science.
Desai, A. S., et al. (2016). Influence of sacubitril/valsartan (LCZ696) on 30-day readmission after heart failure hospitalization. Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Food and Drug Administration. (2024) FDA roundup: May 31, 2024.
Gaziano, T. A., et al. (2016). Cost-effectiveness analysis of sacubitril/valsartan vs enalapril in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction. JAMA Cardiology.
Heidenreich, P. A., et al. (2022). 2022 AHA/ACC/HFSA guideline for the management of heart failure: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Circulation.
Novartis. (2023). Novartis will appeal to U.S. Court of Appeals to uphold validity of Entresto combination patent; maintains 2023 guidance and mid-term outlook.
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. (2021). Entresto- sacubitril and valsartan tablet, film coated [package insert].
Packer, M., et al. (2014). Angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibition compared with enalapril on the risk of clinical progression in surviving patients with heart failure. Circulation.
Patel, P., et al. (2023). Angiotensin II. StatPearls.
Tsimploulis, A., et al. (2018). Systolic blood pressure and outcomes in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. JAMA Cardiology.
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