Clinical data on use of Repatha in Koreans revealed

results show that high-risk patients should use Repatha earlier

PCSK9 inhibitor Repatha confirms efficacy in high-risk Korean patients

Rate of LDL-C target level achievement is low despite the use of statins...need additional treatment options

Miyoung Song, Cardiology TA Lead and Senior Medical Advisor at Amgen Korea

Amgen's dyslipidemia drug Repatha (evolocumab) has demonstrated LDL-cholesterol reduction in an additional trial conducted on Koreans.

 

Based on the verified results, Amgen Korea emphasized the need for early access to Repatha for high-risk patients whose LDL cholesterol is uncontrolled with statins.

 

Amgen Korea held a press conference at Spaceshare Seoul Station Center on the 29th to introduce the benefits of Repatha in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).

 

ASCVD is caused by the buildup of fatty deposits and cellular waste in the lining of the arteries, which narrows the blood vessels, resulting in uneven blood flow.

 

It includes conditions such as acute coronary syndrome and peripheral artery disease and can cause a heart attack, stable or unstable angina, stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), or aortic aneurysm, and hypercholesterolemia is its primary cause.

 

This condition is known to be associated with a high risk of recurrence and death.

 

One in 3-4 patients who have had a myocardial infarction or stroke are at risk of recurrent cardiovascular events.

 

Patients who have had a stroke are 3-4 times more at risk of myocardial infarction and up to 9 times more at risk of ischemic stroke.

 

However, despite high-intensity statin therapy, 2 out of 3 patients fail to reach their LDL-cholesterol target within a year of event onset.

 

The Seoul Asan Medical Center followed patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease from 2000 to 2016, and only 24.4& achieved LDL-cholesterol levels within a year of onset.

 

Among those who used high-intensity statins, the rate was 34.1%.

 

Repatha shows rapid LDL-cholesterol reduction Amgen Korea explained that a high unmet need remains for LDL-cholesterol management in ASCVD.

 

Repatha is a novel treatment for patients with ASCVD and familial hypercholesterolemia who have difficulty managing their LDL-cholesterol levels.

 

It works by binding to and inhibiting the activity of the PCSK9 protein in the blood, thereby increasing the recycling rate of LDL receptors and reducing LDL cholesterol in the blood.

 

At the Korean Society of Lipid and Atherosclerosis’s Annual Spring Congress which was held earlier this month, a research team presented data demonstrating the efficacy of Repatha in Korean patients.

 

In the clinical setting in Korea, patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who were 19 years of age or older and unable to lower their LDL-cholesterol level to less than 70 mg/dL within 24 weeks of ACS demonstrated a 50.9% reduction from baseline in LDL-cholesterol levels at 8 weeks of treatment with Repatha.

 

LDL-cholesterol goal achievement rate was confirmed to be 55.1% for levels below 55 mg/dL and 78.7% for levels 70 mg/dL.

 

Repatha also demonstrated LDL-cholesterol reduction in patients of all ages with ASCVD at the American College of Cardiology Annual Conference 2024 (ACC 2024) which was held from the 6th to the 8th of this month.

 

The study presented at ACC analyzed long-term efficacy and safety outcomes of Repatha vs placebo in patients less than 75 years of age and over 75 of age.

 

The primary composite endpoint was cardiovascular death, MI, stroke, hospitalization for unstable angina, or coronary revascularization.

 

The secondary endpoints were composite measures of myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiovascular death.

 

Results showed a 21% reduction in the occurrence of diseases set forth as primary and secondary endpoints in patients aged 75 years and older.

 

In patients younger than 75 years of age, the occurrence of primary and secondary endpoints was also reduced by 14% and 20%, respectively, in the Repatha arm.

 

Miyoung Song, Cardiology TA Lead and Senior Medical Advisor at Amgen Korea said, “Korea’s dyslipidemia treatment guidelines recommend PCSK9 inhibitors for high-risk patients who have not achieved target LDL-cholesterol levels.

 

However, It is important to use Repatha more quickly in high-risk patients, and the study results suggest that Repatha can be a viable treatment option for achieving the LDL-cholesterol goal recommended in our guidelines." Kyung-Sook Na, Director of Marketing at Amgen Korea, said, “While Repatha's reimbursement has been extended to include abdominal aortic aneurysms, a gap still exists between practice guidelines and reimbursement.

 

We are working on closing this gap and improving patient care."