A new study found that experimental drug lepodisiran significantly reduced levels of lipoprotein (a), a genetically inherited risk factor for heart disease, for up to a year.
The findings, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, involved 320 participants who were tested with different doses of lepodisiran. A single injection of the highest dose of the medication lowered the lipoprotein(a) by nearly 94% over six months with the reductions persisting for a full year in many patients.
However, cardiologists caution that lowering a risk factor does not always translate to preventing heart attacks or stroke, The New York Times reported March 30. This is due to the fact that previous drugs failed to raise HDL, or “good cholesterol,” despite early promise.
Eli Lilly is now conducting a larger clinical trial to determine whether lepodisiran can help prevent heart attacks, strokes, or cardiovascular deaths. Results are expected by 2029. Novartis is also testing drugs targeting lipoprotein(a), with some trial results expected as early as 2026.
Lipoprotein(a) is a known risk factor for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease, with no currently approved treatments to lower its levels.
