India Pharma Outlook Team | Thursday, 25 September 2025
Global Heart Hub and Novartis have put the spotlight on high Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), a genetic condition that is often overlooked that entails significant risk for cardiovascular disease such as heart attack and stroke.
Despite the elevated risk that Lp(a) poses, awareness of Lp(a) is unfortunately low across Asia Pacific and the Middle East.
A survey commissioned by Novartis recently showed that two in three people (66%) do not have routine heart tests, and that almost half (45%) said they were unaware that genetics could be associated with heart disease. At the same time, awareness of Lp(a) testing was even lower - only 22% were aware of testing and only 7% had tested.
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At the webinar "Introducing the Little (a) with Big Consequences" which occurred ahead of World Heart Day, scientists from around the world were adamant that Lp(a) is an important but invisible genetic risk factor. Dr. A. Sreenivas Kumar, Director of Cardiology at Apollo Hospitals, stated that 34% of patients that present with acute coronary syndrome in India have high levels of Lp(a), which is an additional risk factor for patients with diabetes, obesity, and hypertension.
Industry leaders agreed on the urgent need for action. Ram Khandelwal, founder of Heart Health India Foundation said that a simple blood test can identify genetic risks early and avoidable cardiac events. Amitabh Dube, Country President & MD, Novartis India, reiterated the company's commitment to decades of science and dedication to increasing patient access to testing and therapies.
The webinar concluded with a collective commitment to implement Lp(a) testing in health systems across the region, leading to early diagnosis and stronger prevention measures.
