New Drug & Device Milestones Highlight Shift to Innovation

Two recent announcements stand out for us in clinical practice:

• Finerenone (brand name Kerendia) has just received expanded approval in India for treating adult patients with heart‐failure with preserved or mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFpEF/HFmrEF). This opens up treatment for a large patient group previously without many options.

• Meanwhile, a major global investment firm is committing ₹1,650-1,700 crore toward India’s medical‐devices manufacturing sector — signalling that more home-grown device innovation and supply is on the horizon.

Why this matters to us as doctors:

• With Kerendia’s new indication, I now have a powerful tool in heart-failure management, especially for patients who were borderline or whose therapies had limited impact. Offering newer therapies means we must closely monitor for real-world safety and adjust our protocols accordingly.

• The device investment means we could soon access better, locally‐manufactured equipment — potentially more affordable and tailored to Indian clinical settings. But with increased manufacturing comes responsibility: ensure quality, maintenance, and post-market monitoring stay strong.

• Ultimately, these developments remind us that patient-care isn’t static. Innovation is rapid, and as clinicians we must continually update our knowledge, ask critical questions about new approvals, and partner with industry and regulators to ensure safety and utility.

For our patients, this means hope: newer therapies, better tools, potentially faster access. For us doctors, it means staying engaged, scrutinizing approvals, and ensuring real‐world benefit meets the hype.