Groundbreaking cholesterol jab could revolutionise heart disease care

A revolutionary cholesterol-lowering injectionAdministered twice a year, could revolutionize the management of heart disease, said its developers.

New trial Data for Leqvio, also known as inclisiran and developed by NovartisIndicates that patients have reached their target cholesterol levels more quickly than with existing treatments.

Above all, the JAB has also led to less cases of muscle pain, a side effect associated with the drugs of cholesterol reductive reducing.

Cholesterol, a fatty substance produced by the liver and present in certain foods, is in two forms: “good” cholesterol, which helps to eliminate excess and “bad” cholesterol, which can accumulate in the arteries, increasing the risk of heart attacks and blows.

Statins are the most common drug used to treat high cholesterol on the NHS.

They reduce the quantity of cholesterol that the body makes and patients are generally required to take a tablet per day for the rest of their lives.

Leqvio works by interfering with genetic equipment to limit the production of a protein that can increase the levels of bad cholesterol.

It is given as an injection, with an initial dose, another at three months then every six months.

The Novartis trial, known as V difference, included 898 people who received an injection from Leqvio and a specific high intensity statine above other drugs called therapies lowering lipids (LLT) which were adapted to their individual needs.

Meanwhile, the other group of 872 patients received a placebo injection and the same high intensity statine, more LLT adapted to their needs.

After 90 days, some 85% of patients in the Leqvio group achieved their cholesterol target, compared to 31% in the placebo group.

Ruchira Glaser, the world leader in the cardiovascular, renal and metabolic development unit of Novartis, said: “Novartis is dedicated to tackling the most difficult problems of cardiovascular disease.

“These results highlight Leqvio’s potential to transform cardiovascular care by improving the significant results of patients.

“The difference in V has provided evidence that the early use of Leqvio is an effective way to help patients achieve their LDL-C objectives faster without adding other therapies or maximizing the doses of statins.”

The study was also the first to examine Leqvio’s ability to reduce muscle pain, which are common side effects from statins.

He revealed that patients on Leqvio were 43% less likely to feel problems related to muscles compared to the placebo group.

ULF LANDMESSER, president of the Cardiology, Angiology and Medicine Department of Intensive Care Medicine at the German Heart of Charite and Medicine at the University of Charite Berlin, said that the trial is the first to focus on patient results.

He added: “These results are important because they demonstrate effective options for improving lipid management in patients at risk, the majority of which continue to stay above the RDL-C levels.”

The latest NHS health survey for England estimates that the proportion of high cholesterol adults was 53% in 2022, compared to 43% in 2019.

This was higher in women (56%), compared to men (49%).

The results of the V difference in V will be presented at the Congress of the European Cardiology Society (ESC) in Madrid.