Novartis and Alfa Labs unite to increase access to cardiovascular care

EGYPT – Novartis Pharma S.A.E. (Novartis Egypt) and Alfa Labs have joined forces to enhance the journey of patients suffering from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).

Under the terms of the agreement, Novartis Egypt and Alfa Labs will jointly develop targeted innovative tools to enhance the entire journey of patients with ASCVD.

In a press release, Ahmed Sharabeya, the Head of CardioVascular Therapy Area at Novartis Egypt, affirmed: “We are happy to announce our partnership with Alfa Labs advancing our efforts to tackle the preventable burden of ASCVD.”

The main objective is to develop innovative and targeted tools to educate and raise awareness of patients with atherosclerosis and provide them with the best healthcare services.

The collaboration between Novartis Egypt and Alfa Labs is also part of their collaborative efforts under the heart health movement, Unblocked Movement.

“This initiative is part of our wider Unblocked Movement, turning our vision into a reality as we innovate approaches to tackle major ASCVD risk factors for the larger population and spur behavioral changes toward achieving better heart health,” noted Sharabeya.

Novartis, with its extensive experience of 30 years in the field of cardiovascular diseases, aspires to create a world where atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is eradicated, thereby enabling patients to lead longer and healthier lives.

By teaming up with Alfa Labs, Novartis seeks to enable ASVD patients to lower their LDL-C – known as bad cholesterol – and to raise their awareness of the risks associated with high levels of LDL-C.

On his part, Dr. Ismail Badran, General Manager of Alfa Medical Group, said: “In light of our collaboration with Novartis, we aspire to enhance our endeavors in advocating for the timely identification and management of ASCVD.”

Additionally, Alfa Labs and Novartis will work closely to increase awareness about the significance of maintaining LDL-C levels within optimal ranges for patients’ well-being.

This timely partnership aligns seamlessly with the two organizations’ shared commitment to enhancing the quality of life of patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases.

It will also help to tackle the barriers to the implementation of self-management support in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).

According to the World Health Organization, more than half a billion people worldwide are affected by cardiovascular diseases, which accounted for 20.5 million deaths in 2021—close to a third of all global deaths.

The WHO estimates that 17.9 million people died from CVDs in 2016, representing 31% of all global deaths, of these deaths, 85% are due to heart attack and stroke.

However, 80 percent of those deaths could be preventable if managed correctly and LDL-C levels are kept at less than 55 m/dl.

Commenting on the disease burden, Mohamed Sobhy, Head of the Cardiovascular Research, Education and Prevention Foundation (CVREP), said: “Nearly 46 percent of deaths in Egypt are caused by cardiovascular events and almost 37 percent of Egyptians suffer from dyslipidemia.”

Mohamed Sobhy further cautioned that only 40 percent of cholesterol patients comply with their treatment regimens during the first year.

The strategic alliance between Novartis Egypt and Alfa Labs is set to empower and equip ASCVD patients with innovative tools as well as encourage proper management of the heart disease with dedicated follow-up tools.

Hence, this partnership will play a crucial role in supporting the Government of Egypt’s ongoing measures to combat the rising incidence of cardiovascular diseases in the region.

“CVREP is committed to supporting the ASCVD patients in several ways; one of them is the current “Reach 55” disease awareness campaign. We encourage all ASCVD patients to get their cholesterol level checked regularly,” highlighted Mohamed Sobhy.

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