Turning to the middle stage of clinical testing, Eli Lilly has an experimental drug known as lepodisiran, which has been known to show a remarkable drop in levels of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], which is a genetic risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. It is known that patients on the highest dose would show an average decrease of 93.9 percent in their Lp(a) levels from those in a placebo group.
Lp(a) is a special kind of lipoprotein that forms when low-density lipoprotein combines with an exclusive protein, apolipoprotein(a). Higher levels of Lp(a) have been found to account for a higher incidence of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular diseases. There are lifestyle modifications and medications like statins, which can help control the high levels of LDL cholesterol; however, at present, no licensed treatment is available that would address very high levels of Lp(a).
The trial had 210 participants, 141 of whom received a 400 mg dose of lepodisiran and 69 a placebo. Across six months, patients who received lepodisiran showed a 93.9% drop in Lp(a) levels. Crucially, no severe side effects linked to the drug were noted, which implies a good safety profile.
Dr. Steven Nissen, the cardiologist at Cleveland Clinic and lead author of the study, pointed to the advantages of lepodisiran in managing high Lp(a) levels with less frequent dosing. He underlined the necessity of larger trials to establish if decreasing Lp(a) results in fewer cardiovascular events,
Lilly is moving forward with lepodisiran to late-stage clinical trials. The firm is also testing lepodisiran in a Phase 3 trial to see if lowering Lp(a) levels with lepodisiran decreases cardiovascular events like heart attack and stroke. This trial enrollment will be done in the course of the year.
Other drugmakers are also investigating drugs that target Lp(a). Silence Therapeutics is developing zerlasiran, Amgen is developing olpasiran, and Novartis is testing pelacarsen. These experimental treatments have the potential to offer choices for people with high levels of Lp(a), a condition that afflicts nearly 1.4 billion people worldwide, including 64 million in the United States.
The development of lepodisiran and similar treatment options is a wonderful advancement in cardiovascular medicine, providing hope for patients with elevated genetically determined Lp(a) levels who do not currently have targeted therapies. Ongoing research means these medications can be established as standard therapies to prevent and treat cardiovascular disease in patients with high Lp(a) levels.
