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Updated May 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 3INTERVENTIONAL

Angiotensin Receptor-Neprilysin Inhibition in Chagas Cardiomyopathy With Reduced Ejection Fraction: ANSWER-HF.

Angiotensin Receptor-Neprilysin Inhibition in Chagas Cardiomyopathy With Reduced Ejection Fraction: Randomized Trial ANSWER-HF

Angiotensin Receptor-Neprilysin Inhibition in Chagas Cardiomyopathy With Reduced Ejection Fraction: ANSWER-HF. (NCT04853758) is a Phase 3 interventional studying Chagas Cardiomyopathy, sponsored by University of Sao Paulo General Hospital. RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.

Important: This information is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

About This Trial

Chagas disease is considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the most neglected tropical diseases in the world, having relevance in many Latin America countries. In addition, it already affects North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania. Some studies suggest that chagasic heart failure has a worse prognosis, with up to 50% shorter survival than other etiologies. The PARADIGM-HF (Prospective Comparison of Angiotensin Receptor Blocker-Neprilysin Inhibitor With Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitor to Determine Impact on Global Mortality and Morbidity in Heart Failure) study showed 20% reduction in mortality comparing sacubitril/valsartan with the standard treatment with ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitors. In the scenario of chagasic cardiomyopathy, a post hoc analysis of PARADGIM-HF was reported on 113 patients. Reduced risk of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for HF was noted in the group treated with sacubitril/valsartan. Attention was drawn the study's limitations that included the small number of patients and reduced statistical power. Therefore, the benefit of this new class remains uncertain in heart failure due to Chagas cardiomyopathy. The ANSWER-HF Trial will be a clinical, randomized, single-center, prospective, double-blind, controlled study. It will include 200 consecutive participants with Chagas cardiomyopathy and left ventricular ejection fraction less than 40% randomized independently. The objective of this study is to evaluate the benefit of sacubitril/valsartan compared with enalapril in patients with heart failure due to Chagas cardiomyopathy, with reduced ejection fraction. The primary endpoint of the study is the change of left ventricular ejection fraction determined by transthoracic echocardiography. Secondary endpoints include: assessment of ventricular arrhythmias; evaluation of functional class; assessment of functional capacity; assessment of ventricular remodeling; and evaluation of biomarkers. The patients will be followed for 6 months after treatment start. All patients will be undergone to Doppler Echocardiography, 24-hour Holter, 6-minute walk test, Biochemical and hematological exams and Biomarkers at the baseline and after 6 months.

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 3 trials confirm efficacy and safety in large patient groups (often 300–3,000+) and form the evidence base for an FDA approval submission. For Chagas Cardiomyopathy, Phase 3 studies typically randomize participants between the investigational treatment and either a placebo or current standard of care. A successful Phase 3 result is the threshold most treatments need to clear before regulatory approval.

This trial is currently recruiting participants. The sponsor has registered the study with ClinicalTrials.gov as actively enrolling, which means new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can be considered for screening. Trial status can change between updates — confirm current recruiting status with the study contact before traveling for a screening visit.

Target enrollment of 200 participants puts this in the typical range for a Phase 2-style efficacy study or a moderate Phase 3 trial in a focused Chagas Cardiomyopathy subpopulation. At this scale, the study has enough statistical power to detect a clear treatment effect but is not the largest cohort in the field.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: 1. Positive serology for Chagas; 2. Age \> 18 years old; 3. New York Heart Association (NYHA) heart failure and functional class II, III or IV; 4. Left ventricular ejection fraction \<40% at least in the last 3 months; 5. Patients using a beta-blocker with stable dose (last 4 weeks) and optimized; 6. Patients using ACEI or ARB with a stable dose (last 4 weeks) and optimized. Who Should NOT Join This Trial: 1. Participants who do not agree to participate in the study 2. Participants who do not want to receive sacubitril/ valsartan medication; 3. Patients with symptomatic hypotension; 4. Patients with systolic blood pressure (SBP) lower than 95 mmHg on randomization; 5. Patients with creatinine clearance (ClCr) less than 30 mL/min; 6. Patients with serum potassium \> 5.2 mmol/L; 7. Patients with a history of angioedema or who experienced severe side effects with ACE inhibitors. Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

These are translations of the protocol\'s inclusion and exclusion criteria, simplified for patients and caregivers. The original clinical text appears below. Eligibility is ultimately confirmed by the trial site\'s screening process — this summary is a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a final determination.

Original Eligibility Criteria

View original clinical language
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Positive serology for Chagas; 2. Age \> 18 years old; 3. New York Heart Association (NYHA) heart failure and functional class II, III or IV; 4. Left ventricular ejection fraction \<40% at least in the last 3 months; 5. Patients using a beta-blocker with stable dose (last 4 weeks) and optimized; 6. Patients using ACEI or ARB with a stable dose (last 4 weeks) and optimized. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Participants who do not agree to participate in the study 2. Participants who do not want to receive sacubitril/ valsartan medication; 3. Patients with symptomatic hypotension; 4. Patients with systolic blood pressure (SBP) lower than 95 mmHg on randomization; 5. Patients with creatinine clearance (ClCr) less than 30 mL/min; 6. Patients with serum potassium \> 5.2 mmol/L; 7. Patients with a history of angioedema or who experienced severe side effects with ACE inhibitors.

Treatments Being Tested

DRUG

Sacubitril / Valsartan Oral Tablet [Entresto]

100 consecutive participants randomized independently at the Heart Institute - School of Medicine of the University of São Paulo (InCor),will receive sacubitril/valsartan for 6 months.

DRUG

Enalapril

100 consecutive participants randomized independently at the Heart Institute - School of Medicine of the University of São Paulo (InCor),will receive enalapril for 6 months.

Locations (1)

Trial sites listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for this study. Site activation status can vary — confirm with the specific site before traveling for a screening visit.

Heart Institute (Incor) University of Sao Paulo
São Paulo, Brazil

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT04853758), the sponsor (University of Sao Paulo General Hospital), and the key eligibility criteria — to your next appointment. Your doctor can review the inclusion and exclusion criteria against your medical history, lab values, and current treatments to assess whether you are likely to qualify. They can also help you weigh whether trial participation makes sense alongside your existing care plan.

Useful questions to walk through together: What does the trial protocol require beyond standard care? How long is the active treatment phase, and how long is follow-up? Are there study visits at sites I can reach? Who pays for the trial-specific procedures, and who pays for standard-of-care portions? See our 25 questions to ask about clinical trials guide for a more complete checklist.

Authoritative Sources

The official record for this trial lives on ClinicalTrials.gov — the federal registry maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. For background on how this trial fits into the FDA approval pathway, see the FDA drug approval process. For oncology-specific guidance for patients considering trials, the National Cancer Institute publishes patient-oriented overviews. International trial registries are aggregated by the WHO ICTRP.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NCT04853758 clinical trial studying?

Chagas disease is considered by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the most neglected tropical diseases in the world, having relevance in many Latin America countries. In addition, it already affects North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania. Some studies suggest that chagasic heart failure has a worse prognosis, with up to 50% shorter survival than other etiologies. The PARADIGM-HF (Prospective Comparison of Angiotensin Receptor Blocker-Neprilysin Inhibitor With Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitor to Determine Impact on Global Mortality and Morbidity in Heart Failure) study showe… The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT04853758?

Eligibility for this trial depends on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria set by the sponsor. The plain-English summary above translates the most important criteria into accessible language; the official clinical text is preserved in the collapsible section underneath. Whether you fit any specific trial is a medical decision your doctor needs to confirm — bring the trial information to your treating physician for a full review against your medical history.

How do I contact the trial site for NCT04853758?

Contact information registered with ClinicalTrials.gov is shown in the sidebar of this page. Before reaching out, confirm with your treating physician that this trial is appropriate for your situation. The trial site will then walk you through the screening process to determine final eligibility.

Is participating in a clinical trial safe?

Clinical trials in the United States are regulated by the FDA and overseen by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review the protocol for safety. Risk varies by trial — Phase 1 studies test new treatments in humans for the first time, while Phase 3 trials use treatments that have already passed earlier safety screening. The informed consent document for any specific trial details the known risks and what to expect. Discuss those risks with your physician before deciding whether to participate.

Where can I verify the data on this page?

Every detail on this page comes directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar to see the official, unmodified record. The federal record is always authoritative; this page is a structured presentation with a plain-English eligibility translation. For background on how clinical trials are regulated, see the FDA drug approval process documentation.

How This Page Is Built

Every field on this page is pulled directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 — no estimates, no proxies. The plain-English eligibility translation is generated from the original protocol text and reviewed for fidelity to the underlying clinical criteria. The original clinical text remains visible in the collapsible section above so users and clinicians can verify the translation. Read the full methodology for the data pipeline and known limitations.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 record for NCT04853758. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT04853758. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov."

Medical disclaimer: This page is informational, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

Last updated 2026-05-08 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.