LCZ696 Compared to Valsartan in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure and Preserved Left-ventricular Ejection Fraction

Inclusion Criteria:

- Patients with documented stable chronic heart failure (NYHA II-IV):

- LVEF ≥ 45% (local measurement, assessed by echocardiography, MUGA, CT scan, MRI
or ventricular angiography)

- the ejection fraction must have been obtained within 6 months prior to
randomization or after any MI or other event that would affect ejection
fraction.

- Plasma NT-proBNP > 500 pg/ml at Visit 1.

- Patients with documented stable chronic heart failure (NYHA II-IV).

- Patients receiving ACE inhibitors (ACEi), an angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB)
and/or a beta blockers must be on a stable dose of these medications stable for the 1
month period prior to Visit 1.

- Patients must be on diuretic therapy prior to Visit 1 (flexible dosing is permitted).

- Patients with a controlled systolic BP, defined as a target systolic BP less than 140
mm Hg; participants with BP up to and including 160 mm Hg are eligible for enrollment
if they are on three or more medications to control BP at randomization (Visit 2).

- Patients with at least one of the following symptoms at the time of screening (Visit
1):

- Dyspnea on exertion

- Orthopnea

- Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea

- Peripheral edema

- Patients must have an eGFR ≥ 30 ml/min/1.73 m2 at Visit 1 (calculated by the
Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula).

- Patients with a potassium ≤5.2 mmol/l at Visit 1.

Exclusion Criteria:

- Patients with a prior LVEF reading <45%, at any time.

- Patients who require treatment with both an ACE inhibitor and an ARB.

- Isolated right heart failure due to pulmonary disease.

- Dyspnea and/or edema from non-cardiac causes, such as lung disease, anemia, or severe
obesity.

- Presence of hemodynamically significant mitral and /or aortic valve disease.

- Presence of hemodynamically significant obstructive lesions of left ventricular
outflow tract, including aortic stenosis.

- Presence of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

- Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria may apply