News
PCSK9 emerges as a key determinant of site of organ metastasis in pancreatic cancer
The PCSK9 protein determines how pancreatic cancer cells metastasise to different parts of the body. The US study, published in Nature, May 21,1 showed that when pancreatic cancer cells destined for the liver are forced to express the PCSK9 protein, they change direction and head…
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Inclisiran shown to be effective in adolescents with HoFH
Inclisiran was effective in lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in adolescents with homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HoFH). In addition to standard of care, the phase 3 ORION 13 study, published in Circulation, May 20,1 showed an LDL-C difference of -33.3% LDL-C between patients receiving inclisiran and…
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Study lays ground work for saffron as natural PCSK9 inhibitor
Saffron and its active components crocetin and crocin offer novel natural PCSK9 inhibitors. The study, published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology,1 showed that crocetin reduced plasma PCSK9 secretion by 39.9%, crocin by 27.9%, and saffron extract by 23.4%. The study found that the active components…
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PCSK9 inhibitors could reduce cardiac remodelling following MI
Early administration of the PCSK9 inhibitor evolocumab significantly reduced residual myocardial inflammation in patients 30 days following acute coronary syndromes (ACS). The randomised study, published online in JACC Basic Transl Sci,1, showed a positive correlation between serum PCSK9 levels and myocardial inflammation, and that levels…
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PCSK9 inhibitors do not increase bleeding events after PCI
PCSK9 inhibitors do not increase the risk of bleeding events following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients receiving antiplatelet therapy. The real-world cohort study, published in the International Journal of Cardiology,1 found that patients receiving PCSK9 inhibitors also had a lower risk of other adverse…
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Older ASCVD patients benefit from LDL-C lowering with evolocumab
Early initiation of long-term evolocumab provides older patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) benefits at least as good as those observed in younger patients. The study, published in Journal of the American College of Cardiology,1 February 11, found the number needed to treat to prevent…
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A critical appraisal of PCSK9 inhibitors: PCSK9 monoclonal antibodies versus small interfering RNA
In a review published in Pharmacology & Therapeutics,1 April issue, Professor Alberto Corsini, together with Professors John Chapman and Henry Ginsberg, Co-Chairs of PCSK9 Forum, make a critical appraisal of the efficacies, mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and safety of the two classes of PCSK9…
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Evolocumab prevents carotid artery wall thickening in paediatric HeFH
Treatment with evolocumab prevented carotid artery wall thickening in children with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HeFH) who had not achieved LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) goals despite maximum tolerated background lipid-lowering therapies (LLTs). The study, published online in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology,1 12 November, suggests using…
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PCSK9 plays critical role in abdominal aortic aneurysm
Pharmacological inhibition of PCSK9 restricted formation and progression of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) in a mouse model of the disease. The study, published in Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biology,1 January 2025, showed that PCSK9 was upregulated in mouse models and also samples taken from patients with…
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Post hoc analysis: alirocumab benefits HeFH and T3HLP patients
Carriers of heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) and type III hyperlipoproteinemia (T3HLP) benefit from alirocumab. The post hoc analysis of the ODYSSEY OUTCOMES trial, presented at the AHA 2024 meeting,1showed that major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and lipid reductions for patients with HeFH and T3HLP were…
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Results from the German MILOS cohort demonstrate real-world effectiveness and safety of bempedoic acid
Using bempedoic acid alone or bempedoic acid plus ezetimibe in a fixed dose combination, with or without other lipid lowering therapies, was associated with an almost one-third relative reduction in LDL-Cholesterol (LDL-C) from pretreatment levels. The two year follow-up data of the German cohort of…
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PCSK9 inhibitors are unlikely to contribute to mood disorders
A Mendelian randomisation study, published in PLos One, 26 September, found no association between PCSK9 inhibition and mood disorders.1 “We can conclude that genetically proxied on-target effect of pharmacological PCSK9 inhibition is unlikely to contribute to mood disorders,” write the authors, led by Rona Strawbridge…
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PCSK9 inhibitors may be effective treatment for PAD
Inhibiting PCSK9 is associated with a 32% reduction in the risk of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). The Mendelian randomisation analysis, published in Journal of Clinical Lipidology, September 19, confirmed the causal link between elevated LDL-Cholesterol (LCL-C) and increased risk of PAD.1 “Based on genetic evidence,…
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PACMAN-AMI: new data on lesion-level effects of lipid lowering
A new pre-specified, post-hoc analysis of results from the PACMAN-AMI study has shown that lesion-level effects of intensive lipid lowering with alirocumab and statin are substantially greater than those previously seen at vessel level.1 The new findings, presented by Dr Flavio Giuseppe Biccire (Inselspital, University…
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AT-TARGET-IT shows reduced CV risk with early PCSK9i in ACS
Early, intensive lipid-lowering therapy including PCSK9 inhibition in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is associated with reduced risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), according to results from the AT-TARGET-IT registry using a ‘strike early, strike strong strategy’. In 771 patients with ACS who…
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Real world ischaemic event reduction with PCSK9i mAbs
Initiation of PCSK9i mAbs in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) but without prior ischaemic events is associated with significantly and substantially lower risk for major ischaemic events, concluded Professor Deepak Bhatt (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA) from results of…
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Inclisiran role in plaque stabilisation
High intensity lipid lowering therapy, including inclisiran, has been shown to stabilise atherosclerotic plaques. In a study of 36 patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD, 20-50% stenosis), atherosclerotic plaque lipid composition was evaluated before and after intensive lipid lowering therapy, using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)….
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Discontinuing PCSK9i leads to increased MACE
Patients who discontinue PCSK9i are at increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), suggests a study of 203 patients who received PCSK9i in Japan between July 2016 and December 2023. At one year, median LDL-C was 43 mg/dL, and 158 patients (77%) reached LDL-C…
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V-MONO trial of inclisiran monotherapy meets primary endpoints
The Phase 3 V-MONO study of inclisiran monotherapy in patients at low or moderate risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) has met its primary endpoints. Top-line data show that inclisiran treatment resulted in a clinically meaningful and statistically significant reduction in LDL-C compared to placebo…
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Remembering Akira Endo and the beginning of the ‘statin era’
Dr Jonathan Tobert, University of Oxford, UK, recalls the landmark statin research by Dr Akira Endo that has saved countless lives. Akira Endo died on June 5 at the age of 90. He worked as a microbiologist in Japan and is universally recognised as the…
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