Overview
- In a randomized study of more than 12,000 high-risk adults without prior heart attack or stroke, adding evolocumab to standard care reduced major cardiovascular events by 25%.
- Researchers reported a 36% reduction in first heart attacks in the primary-prevention cohort at the American Heart Association meeting in New Orleans.
- Amgen said the findings make Repatha the first PCSK9 inhibitor to demonstrate prevention of an initial cardiovascular event.
- Participants had a median age of 66 years, 43% were women, and 93% were white U.S. patients.
- Merck's oral PCSK9 candidate drew attention with early reports of up to 60% LDL reduction and a possible 20% first-year drop in heart attack risk for high-risk patients, though it remains in development.