Bempedoic Acid and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Statin-Intolerant Patients.

BACKGROUND: Bempedoic acid, an ATP citrate lyase inhibitor, reduces low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels and is associated with a low incidence of muscle-related adverse events; its effects on cardiovascular outcomes remain uncertain. METHODS: We conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial involving patients who were unable or unwilling to take statins owing to unacceptable adverse effects ("statin-intolerant" patients) and had, or were at high risk for, cardiovascular disease. The patients were assigned to receive oral bempedoic acid, 180 mg daily, or placebo. The primary end point was a four-component composite of major adverse cardiovascular events, defined as death from cardiovascular causes, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or coronary revascularization. RESULTS: A total of 13,970 patients underwent randomization; 6992 were assigned to the bempedoic acid group and 6978 to the placebo group. The median duration of follow-up was 40.6 months. The mean LDL cholesterol level at baseline was 139.0 mg per deciliter in both groups, and after 6 months, the reduction in the level was greater with bempedoic acid than with placebo by 29.2 mg per deciliter; the observed difference in the percent reductions was 21.1 percentage points in favor of bempedoic acid. The incidence of a primary end-point event was significantly lower with bempedoic acid than with placebo (819 patients [11.7%] vs. 927 [13.3%]; hazard ratio, 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.79 to 0.96; P = 0.004), as were the incidences of a composite of death from cardiovascular causes, nonfatal stroke, or nonfatal myocardial infarction (575 [8.2%] vs. 663 [9.5%]; hazard ratio, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.76 to 0.96; P = 0.006); fatal or nonfatal myocardial infarction (261 [3.7%] vs. 334 [4.8%]; hazard ratio, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.66 to 0.91; P = 0.002); and coronary revascularization (435 [6.2%] vs. 529 [7.6%]; hazard ratio, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.72 to 0.92; P = 0.001). Bempedoic acid had no significant effects on fatal or nonfatal stroke, death from cardiovascular causes, and death from any cause. The incidences of gout and cholelithiasis were higher with bempedoic acid than with placebo (3.1% vs. 2.1% and 2.2% vs. 1.2%, respectively), as were the incidences of small increases in serum creatinine, uric acid, and hepatic-enzyme levels. CONCLUSIONS: Among statin-intolerant patients, treatment with bempedoic acid was associated with a lower risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (death from cardiovascular causes, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or coronary revascularization). (Funded by Esperion Therapeutics; CLEAR Outcomes ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02993406.).

Inflammation and Cholesterol as Predictors of Cardiovascular Events Among 13 970 Contemporary High-Risk Patients With Statin Intolerance.

BACKGROUND: Among patients treated with statin therapy to guideline-recommended cholesterol levels, residual inflammatory risk assessed by high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is at least as strong a predictor of future cardiovascular events as is residual risk assessed by low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC). Whether these relationships are present among statin-intolerant patients with higher LDLC levels is uncertain but has implications for the choice of preventive therapies, including bempedoic acid, an agent that reduces both LDLC and hsCRP. METHODS: The multinational CLEAR-Outcomes trial (Cholesterol Lowering via Bempedoic Acid, an ACL-Inhibiting Regimen Outcomes Trial) randomly allocated 13 970 statin-intolerant patients to 180 mg of oral bempedoic acid daily or matching placebo and followed them for a 4-component composite of incident myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary revascularization, or cardiovascular death, and for all-cause mortality. Quartiles of increasing baseline hsCRP and LDLC were assessed as predictors of future adverse events after adjustment for traditional risk factors and randomized treatment assignment. RESULTS: Compared with placebo, bempedoic acid reduced median hsCRP by 21.6% and mean LDLC levels by 21.1% at 6 months. Baseline hsCRP was significantly associated with the primary composite end point of major cardiovascular events (highest versus lowest hsCRP quartile; hazard ratio [HR], 1.43 [95% CI, 1.24-1.65]), cardiovascular mortality (HR, 2.00 [95% CI, 1.53-2.61]), and all-cause mortality (HR, 2.21 [95% CI, 1.79-2.73]). By contrast, the relationship of baseline LDLC quartile (highest versus lowest) to future events was smaller in magnitude for the primary composite cardiovascular end point (HR, 1.19 [95% CI, 1.04-1.37]) and neutral for cardiovascular mortality (HR, 0.90 [95% CI, 0.70-1.17]) and all-cause mortality (HR, 0.95 [95% CI, 0.78-1.16]). Risks were high for those with elevated hsCRP irrespective of LDLC level. Bempedoic acid demonstrated similar efficacy in reducing cardiovascular events across all levels of hsCRP and LDLC. CONCLUSIONS: Among contemporary statin-intolerant patients, inflammation assessed by hsCRP predicted risk for future cardiovascular events and death more strongly than hyperlipidemia assessed by LDLC. Compared with placebo, bempedoic acid had similar efficacy for reducing cardiovascular risk across hsCRP and LDLC strata. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02993406.

Bempedoic Acid for Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Events in Statin-Intolerant Patients.

Importance: The effects of bempedoic acid on cardiovascular outcomes in statin-intolerant patients without a prior cardiovascular event (primary prevention) have not been fully described. Objective: To determine the effects of bempedoic acid on cardiovascular outcomes in primary prevention patients. Design, Setting, and Participants: This masked, randomized clinical trial enrolled 13 970 statin-intolerant patients (enrollment December 2016 to August 2019 at 1250 centers in 32 countries), including 4206 primary prevention patients. Interventions: Participants were randomized to oral bempedoic acid, 180 mg daily (n = 2100), or matching placebo (n = 2106). Main Outcome Measures: The primary efficacy measure was the time from randomization to the first occurrence of any component of a composite of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), nonfatal stroke, or coronary revascularization. Results: Mean participant age was 68 years, 59% were female, and 66% had diabetes. From a mean baseline of 142.2 mg/dL, compared with placebo, bempedoic acid reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels by 30.2 mg/dL (21.3%) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels by 0.56 mg/L (21.5%), from a median baseline of 2.4 mg/L. Follow-up for a median of 39.9 months was associated with a significant risk reduction for the primary end point (111 events [5.3%] vs 161 events [7.6%]; adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.70 [95% CI, 0.55-0.89]; P = .002) and key secondary end points, including the composite of cardiovascular death, MI, or stroke (83 events [4.0%] vs 134 events [6.4%]; HR, 0.64 [95% CI, 0.48-0.84]; P < .001); MI (29 events [1.4%] vs 47 events [2.2%]; HR, 0.61 [95% CI, 0.39-0.98]); cardiovascular death (37 events [1.8%] vs 65 events [3.1%]; HR, 0.61 [95% CI, 0.41-0.92]); and all-cause mortality (75 events [3.6%] vs 109 events [5.2%]; HR, 0.73 [95% CI, 0.54-0.98]). There was no significant effect on stroke or coronary revascularization. Adverse effects with bempedoic acid included a higher incidence of gout (2.6% vs 2.0%), cholelithiasis (2.5% vs 1.1%), and increases in serum creatinine, uric acid, and hepatic enzyme levels. Conclusions: In a subgroup of high-risk primary prevention patients, bempedoic acid treatment was associated with reduced major cardiovascular events. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02993406.

Risk Categorization Using New American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guidelines for Cholesterol Management and Its Relation to Alirocumab Treatment Following Acute Coronary Syndromes.

BACKGROUND: The 2018 US cholesterol management guidelines recommend additional lipid-lowering therapies for secondary prevention in patients with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ≥70 mg/dL or non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ≥100 mg/dL despite maximum tolerated statin therapy. Such patients are considered at very high risk (VHR) based on a history of >1 major atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) event or a single ASCVD event and multiple high-risk conditions. We investigated the association of US guideline-defined risk categories with the occurrence of ischemic events after acute coronary syndrome and reduction of those events by alirocumab, a PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9) inhibitor. METHODS: In the ODYSSEY OUTCOMES trial (Evaluation of Cardiovascular Outcomes After an Acute Coronary Syndrome During Treatment With Alirocumab), patients with recent acute coronary syndrome and residual dyslipidemia despite optimal statin therapy were randomly assigned to alirocumab or placebo. The primary trial outcome (major adverse cardiovascular events, ie, coronary heart disease death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, or hospitalization for unstable angina) was examined according to American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association risk category. RESULTS: Of 18 924 participants followed for a median of 2.8 years, 11 935 (63.1%) were classified as VHR: 4450 (37.3%) had multiple prior ASCVD events and 7485 (62.7%) had 1 major ASCVD event and multiple high-risk conditions. Major adverse cardiovascular events occurred in 14.4% of placebo-treated patients at VHR versus 5.6% of those not at VHR. In the VHR category, major adverse cardiovascular events occurred in 20.4% with multiple prior ASCVD events versus 10.7% with 1 ASCVD event and multiple high-risk conditions. Alirocumab was associated with consistent relative risk reductions in both risk categories (hazard ratio=0.84 for VHR; hazard ratio=0.86 for not VHR; Pinteraction=0.820) and by stratification within the VHR group (hazard ratio=0.86 for multiple prior ASCVD events; hazard ratio=0.82 for 1 major ASCVD event and multiple high-risk conditions; Pinteraction=0.672). The absolute risk reduction for major adverse cardiovascular events with alirocumab was numerically greater (but not statistically different) in the VHR group versus those not at VHR (2.1% versus 0.8%; Pinteraction=0.095) and among patients at VHR with multiple prior ASCVD events versus a single prior ASCVD event (2.4% versus 1.8%; Pinteraction=0.661). CONCLUSIONS: The US guideline criteria identify patients with recent acute coronary syndrome and dyslipidemia who are at VHR for recurrent ischemic events and who may derive a larger absolute benefit from treatment with alirocumab. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01663402.

Beliefs, risk perceptions, and lipid management among patients with and without diabetes: Results from the PALM registry.

Intensive lipid management is critical to reduce cardiovascular (CV) risk for patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). METHODS: We performed an observational study of 7628 patients with (n = 2943) and without DM (n = 4685), enrolled in the Provider Assessment of Lipid Management (PALM) registry and treated at 140 outpatient clinics across the United States in 2015. Patient self-estimated CV risk, patient-perceived statin benefit and risk, observed statin therapy use and dosing were assessed. RESULTS: Patients with DM were more likely to believe that their CV risk was elevated compared with patients without DM (39.1% vs 29.3%, P < .001). Patients with DM were more likely to receive a statin (74.2% vs 63.5%, P < .001) but less likely to be treated with guideline-recommended statin intensity (36.5% vs 46.9%, P < .001), driven by the low proportion (16.5%) of high risk (ASCVD risk ≥7.5%) primary prevention DM patients treated with a high intensity statin. Patients with DM treated with guideline-recommended statin intensity were more likely to believe they were at high CV risk (44.9% vs 38.4%, P = .005) and that statins can reduce this risk (41.1% vs 35.6%, P = .02), compared with patients treated with lower than guideline-recommended statin intensity. Compared with patients with an elevated HgbA1c, patients with well-controlled DM were no more likely to be on a statin (77.9% vs 79.3%, P = .43). CONCLUSIONS: In this nationwide study, the majority of patients with DM were treated with lower than guideline-recommended statin intensity. Patient education and engagement may help providers improve lipid therapy for these high-risk patients.

Practice-level variation in statin use and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol control in the United States: Results from the Patient and Provider Assessment of Lipid Management (PALM) registry.

BACKGROUND: Adherence to guideline-recommended statin recommendations in the United States is suboptimal. Patients' likelihood to be treated according to guidelines may vary by the practice in which they are treated. METHODS: Variation in the use of statin therapy in 5445 patients, with known or at high risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and meeting a statin treatment indication, was examined across 74 US Patient and Provider Assessment of Lipid Management (PALM) Registry clinics. Multivariable generalized linear mixed modeling was used to determine the median odds ratio (MOR) for statin use and 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guideline-recommended statin intensity by practice. MOR quantifies between-practice variation by comparing the odds of receiving guideline-recommended statin treatment in a patient from a randomly selected practice with a similar patient from another random practice. Risk-adjusted low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) control (<100 and <70 mg/dL) was compared among practice tertiles based on percentage of eligible patients receiving recommended statin intensity. RESULTS: Among 74 practices (43.2% cardiology) comprised of 300 healthcare providers enrolling 5445 patients (56.2% with ASCVD), statin use at the guideline-recommended intensity at practices varied widely (12.7-71.4%; adjusted MOR 1.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.35-1.64). Results were consistent when evaluated for any statin use overall (adjusted MOR 1.75, 95% CI 1.48-1.99) and when stratified by primary versus secondary prevention patients. Relative to practices with lowest or mid-tertile statin use of statins, highest tertile clinics were more frequently cardiology practices (68.0% vs 48.0% vs 12.5%, P < .001). Compared with lowest tertile clinics, patients at highest tertile clinics were more likely to achieve LDL-C <70 mg/dL (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.49, 95% CI 1.08-2.04) and <100 mg/dL (adjusted OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.41-2.25). CONCLUSIONS: US clinics varied widely in their adherence to guideline recommendations for statin therapy, which contributed to significant differences in LDL-C levels.

Effect of Alirocumab on Coronary Atheroma Volume in Japanese Patients With Acute Coronary Syndrome　- The ODYSSEY J-IVUS Trial.

BACKGROUND: In patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), alirocumab reduced the risk of recurring ischemic events. ODYSSEY J-IVUS assessed the effect of alirocumab on coronary atheroma volume in Japanese patients recently hospitalized with ACS and hypercholesterolemia, using intravascular ultrasound imaging analysis.Methods and Results:Patients (n=206) who at index ACS diagnosis either had low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) ≥2.59 mmol/L (≥100 mg/dL) despite stable statin therapy, or were not on statins with LDL-C levels above target after statin initiation, were randomized (1:1) to alirocumab (75 mg every 2 weeks [Q2 W]/up to 150 mg Q2 W), or standard of care (SoC; atorvastatin ≥10 mg/day or rosuvastatin ≥5 mg/day) for 36 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint (week [W] 36 mean [standard error] percent change in normalized total atheroma volume [TAV] from baseline) was -3.1 (1.0)% with SoC vs. -4.8 (1.0)% with alirocumab (between-group difference: -1.6 [1.4]; P=0.23). W36 absolute change from baseline in percent atheroma volume was -1.3 (0.4)% (SoC) and -1.4 (0.4)% (alirocumab; nominal P=0.79). At W36, LDL-C was reduced from baseline by 13.4% (SoC) vs. 63.9% (alirocumab; nominal P<0.0001). In total, 61.8% (SoC) and 75.7% (alirocumab) of patients reported treatment-emergency adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: In Japanese patients with ACS and hypercholesterolemia inadequately controlled despite statin therapy, from baseline to W36, a numerically greater percent reduction in normalized TAV was observed with alirocumab vs. SoC, which did not reach statistical significance.

Efficacy and safety of lipid lowering by alirocumab in chronic kidney disease.

Individuals with chronic kidney disease are at increased risk of premature cardiovascular disease. Among them, many with elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) are unable to achieve optimal LDL-C on statins and require additional lipid-lowering therapy. To study this, we compared the LDL-C-lowering efficacy and safety of alirocumab in individuals with hypercholesterolemia with impaired renal function, defined as eGFR 30-59 ml/min/1.73 m2, to those without impaired renal function eGFR ≥60 ml/min/1.73 m2. A total of 4629 hypercholesterolemic individuals without or with impaired renal function, pooled from eight phase 3 ODYSSEY trials (double-blind treatments of 24-104 weeks), were on alirocumab 150 mg or 75/150 mg every two weeks vs. placebo or ezetimibe. Overall, 10.1% had impaired renal function and over 99% were receiving statin treatment. Baseline LDL-C in alirocumab and control groups was comparable in subgroups analyzed. LDL-C reductions at week 24 ranged from 46.1 to 62.2% or 48.3 to 60.1% with alirocumab among individuals with or without impaired renal function, respectively. Similar reductions were observed for lipoprotein (a), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and triglycerides. Safety data were similar in both treatment subgroups, regardless of the degree of CKD. Renal function did not change over time in response to alirocumab. This post hoc efficacy analysis is limited by evaluation of alirocumab treatment effects on renal and lipid parameters by serum biochemistry. Thus, alirocumab consistently lowered LDL-C regardless of impaired renal function, with safety comparable to control, among individuals with hypercholesterolemia who nearly all were on statin treatment.

Does clinician-reported lipid guideline adoption translate to guideline-adherent care? An evaluation of the Patient and Provider Assessment of Lipid Management (PALM) registry.

BACKGROUND: The 2013 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) cholesterol guideline recommends statin treatment based on patients' predicted atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk. Whether clinician-reported guideline adoption translates to implementation into practice is unknown. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to compare clinician lipid management in hypothetical scenarios versus observed practice. METHODS: The PALM Registry asked 774 clinicians how they would treat 4 hypothetical scenarios of primary prevention patients with: (1) diabetes; (2) high 10-year ASCVD risk (≥7.5%) with high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C; ≥130 mg/dL); (3) low 10-year ASCVD risk (<7.5%) with high LDL-C (130-189 mg/dL); or (4) primary and secondary prevention patients with persistently elevated LDL-C (≥130 mg/dL) despite high-intensity statin use. We assessed agreement between clinician survey responses and observed practice. RESULTS: In primary prevention scenarios, 85% of clinicians reported they would prescribe a statin to a diabetic patient and 93% to a high-risk/high LDL-C patient (both indicated by guidelines), while 40% would prescribe statins to a low-risk/high LDL-C patient. In clinical practice, statin prescription rates were 68% for diabetic patients, 40% for high-risk/high LDL-C patients, and 50% for low-risk/high LDL-C patients. Agreement between hypothetical and observed practice was 64%, 39%, and 52% for patients with diabetes, high-risk/high LDL-C, and low-risk/high LDL-C, respectively. Among patients with persistently high LDL-C despite high-intensity statin treatment, 55% of providers reported they would add a non-statin lipid-lowering medication, while only 22% of patients were so treated. CONCLUSIONS: While the majority of clinicians report adoption of the 2013 ACC/AHA guideline recommendations, observed lipid management decisions in practice are frequently discordant.

Effect of alirocumab on lipids and lipoproteins in individuals with metabolic syndrome without diabetes: Pooled data from 10 phase 3 trials.

AIMS: This analysis assessed the efficacy and safety of alirocumab, a proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitor, in patients with or without metabolic syndrome (MetS) using pooled data from 10 phase 3 ODYSSEY trials. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from 4983 randomized patients (1940 with MetS; 1642 with diabetes excluded) were assessed in subgroups by MetS status. Efficacy data were analysed in 4 pools per study design: 2 placebo-controlled pools (1 using alirocumab 150 mg every 2 weeks [Q2W], 1 using 75/150 mg Q2W) with background statin, and 2 ezetimibe-controlled pools (both alirocumab 75/150 mg Q2W), 1 with and 1 without background statin. Alirocumab 75/150 mg indicates possible dose increase from 75 to 150 mg at Week 12 based on Week 8 LDL-C. RESULTS: LDL-C percentage reduction from baseline at Week 24 with alirocumab was 63.9% (MetS) and 56.8% (non-MetS) in the pool of alirocumab 150 mg Q2W, and 42.2% to 52.2% (MetS) and 45.0% to 52.6% (non-MetS) in 3 pools using 75/150 mg Q2W. Levels of other lipid and lipoprotein parameters were also improved with alirocumab treatment, including apolipoprotein B, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C), lipoprotein(a) and HDL-C. Overall, the percentage change at Week 24 in LDL-C and other lipids and lipoproteins did not vary by MetS status. Adverse event rates were generally similar between treatment groups, regardless of MetS status; injection-site reactions occurred more frequently in alirocumab vs control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Across study pools, alirocumab-associated reductions in LDL-C, apolipoprotein B, and non-HDL-C were significant vs control, and did not vary by MetS status.

Correction to: Assessment of the 1% of Patients with Consistent < 15% Reduction in Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol: Pooled Analysis of 10 Phase 3 ODYSSEY Alirocumab Trials.

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake in the Discussion section.

Assessment of the 1% of Patients with Consistent < 15% Reduction in Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol: Pooled Analysis of 10 Phase 3 ODYSSEY Alirocumab Trials.

PURPOSE: Clinical trials of statins and other lipid-lowering therapies (LLTs) often report large inter-individual variations in their effects on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). We evaluated apparent hyporesponsiveness to the proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitor alirocumab (defined as < 15% LDL-C reduction from baseline at all timepoints) using data from 10 Phase 3 trials (3120 hypercholesterolemic patients). METHODS: This report assessed the LDL-C percent reduction from baseline at weeks 4-104 (depending on study), and alirocumab serum levels and antidrug antibodies, in patients with apparent hyporesponsiveness. RESULTS: Among the 3120 patients evaluated, 98.9% responded to alirocumab, and 33 (1.1%) had < 15% LDL C reduction at all measured timepoints. Pharmacokinetics data indicated that 13/33 apparent hyporesponders had not received alirocumab; no pharmacokinetics data were available for 14/33, and 6/33 had detectable alirocumab. For the six patients with confirmed alirocumab receipt, the degree of adherence to pre-study concurrent LLTs could not be determined after study start; one of these patients had persistent antidrug antibodies. CONCLUSIONS: Apparent hyporesponsiveness to alirocumab appeared to be due to lack of receipt of alirocumab determined by serum alirocumab levels, possible lack of adherence to concurrent LLTs, a theoretical and rare possibility of biological non-responsiveness due to persistent antidrug antibodies, or other causes, as yet unidentified.

Lipid-lowering efficacy and safety of alirocumab in patients with or without diabetes: A sub-analysis of ODYSSEY COMBO II.

AIM: This sub-analysis of the ODYSSEY COMBO II study compared the effects of alirocumab, a proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitor, in high cardiovascular risk patients with or without diabetes mellitus (DM) receiving maximally tolerated statin therapy. METHODS: COMBO II was a 104-week, double-blind study (n = 720) enrolling patients with documented atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and baseline LDL-C ≥70 mg/dL (1.8 mmol/L), and patients without documented ASCVD at high cardiovascular risk with LDL-C ≥100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L). Patients receiving maximally tolerated statin therapy were randomized (2:1) to alirocumab 75 mg every 2 weeks (Q2W; 1 mL subcutaneous injection) or oral ezetimibe 10 mg daily. Alirocumab dose was increased to 150 mg Q2W (also 1 mL) at Week 12 if Week 8 LDL-C was ≥70 mg/dL. RESULTS: History of DM was reported in 31% (n = 148) of patients on alirocumab and 32% (n = 77) of patients on ezetimibe. At Week 24, alirocumab consistently reduced LDL-C from baseline in patients with (-49.1%) or without DM (-51.2%) to a significantly greater extent than ezetimibe (-18.4% and -21.8%, respectively). Occurrence of treatment-emergent adverse events was similar between groups. Efficacy results at 104 weeks were similar to those at 24 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Over a 104-week double-blind study period, alirocumab provided consistently greater LDL-C reductions than ezetimibe, with similar LDL-C results in patients with or without DM. Safety of alirocumab was similar regardless of baseline DM status.

Safety of bempedoic acid in patients at high cardiovascular risk and with statin intolerance.

BACKGROUND: Bempedoic acid is an oral adenosine triphosphate citrate lyase (ACL) inhibitor that lowers low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) blood levels. The Cholesterol Lowering via Bempedoic acid, an ACL-Inhibiting Regimen (CLEAR) Outcomes study demonstrated that bempedoic acid reduced cardiovascular (CV) risk in patients at high risk for CV events who were unwilling or unable to take guideline-recommended doses of statins. OBJECTIVE: To describe detailed safety information from CLEAR Outcomes, including events in the United States (US) prescribing information based on previous phase 3 hyperlipidemia studies. METHODS: CLEAR Outcomes was a double-blind trial conducted in 13,970 patients randomized to oral bempedoic acid 180 mg daily or placebo and followed for a median of 3.4 years. RESULTS: In patients who received at least one dose (7,001 bempedoic acid, 6,964 placebo), treatment emergent adverse events (AE) occurred in 86.3 % and 85 % of patients, respectively. COVID-19 was the most frequently reported AE in both groups. Changes in serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, hemoglobin, aminotransaminases, and uric acid were consistent with the known safety profile of bempedoic acid. Gout or gouty arthritis occurred in 3.2 % of bempedoic acid and 2.2 % of placebo patients. AE associated with tendinopathies, including tendon rupture, occurred in 2 % of patients in both treatment groups. Cholelithiasis occurred in 2.2 % of bempedoic acid and 1.2 % of placebo patients; AE related to gallbladder disease were similar between treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: Bempedoic acid was well-tolerated compared with placebo. Safety data from the long-term CLEAR Outcomes study reinforce the positive benefit-risk profile of bempedoic acid.

Efficacy and safety of bempedoic acid among patients with and without diabetes: prespecified analysis of the CLEAR Outcomes randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Statins reduce LDL cholesterol and cardiovascular events among those with or without diabetes but have been reported to increase new-onset diabetes. The CLEAR Outcomes trial demonstrated that bempedoic acid reduced the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events among statin-intolerant patients at high cardiovascular risk. In this prespecified analysis, our dual aims were to evaluate the cardiovascular benefits of bempedoic acid, an ATP-citrate lyase inhibitor, in individuals with diabetes, and to evaluate the risk of new-onset diabetes and HbA1c among those without diabetes in the CLEAR Outcomes trial. METHODS: CLEAR Outcomes was a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted across 1250 primary care and outpatient sites in 32 countries. Patients with or without cardiovascular disease who were unwilling or unable to take guideline-recommended doses of statins and an LDL cholesterol of 2·59 mmol/L or more were randomly assigned (1:1) in a double-blinded manner to either bempedoic acid 180 mg once per day or placebo. In this prespecified analysis, the efficacy endpoint was a time-to-event analysis of four-component major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE-4), which is the composite of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or coronary revascularisation, using the intention-to-treat population stratified by baseline glycaemia status. The prespecified analysis of risk of new-onset diabetes and HbA1c increase was evaluated in patients without diabetes at baseline. The CLEAR Outcomes trial was completed on Nov 7, 2022, and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02993406). FINDINGS: Between Dec 22, 2016, and Nov 7, 2022, 13 970 patients were screened and randomly assigned; 6373 (45·6%) with diabetes, 5796 (41·5%) with prediabetes, and 1801 (12·9%) with normoglycaemia. Over a median of 3·4 years follow up, patients with diabetes had significant relative and absolute cardiovascular risk reductions in MACE-4 endpoints with bempedoic acid (HR 0·83; 95% CI 0·72-0·95; absolute risk reduction of 2·4%) compared to placebo, with no statistical evidence of effect modification across glycaemic strata (interaction p=0·42). The proportion of patients who developed new-onset diabetes were similar between the bempedoic acid and placebo groups, with 429 of 3848 (11·1%) with bempedoic acid versus 433 of 3749 (11·5%) with placebo (HR 0·95; 95% CI 0·83-1·09). HbA1c concentrations at month 12 and the end of the study were similar between randomised groups in patients who had prediabetes and normoglycaemia. Placebo-corrected LDL cholesterol concentrations and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein at 6 months were reduced in each glycaemic stratum (diabetes, prediabtes, and normoglycaemia) for patients randomly assigned to bempedoic acid (all p<0·001). INTERPRETATION: Among patients with diabetes, bempedoic acid reduces LDL cholesterol and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and risk of cardiovascular events. Patients without diabetes had no increase in new-onset diabetes or worsening HbA1c with bempedoic acid. The efficacy and cardiometabolic safety profile of bempedoic acid makes it a clinical option for those with and without diabetes. FUNDING: Esperion Therapeutics.

Prevalence of Tendon Rupture and Tendinopathies Among Patients with Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Derived From United States Administrative Claims Data.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of tendon rupture and tendinopathies (TRT) has not been determined in a large population of patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). We investigated TRT prevalence among patients with ASCVD and in the general population, using data from the Symphony Health Integrated Dataverse, a large US medical and pharmacy claims database. METHODS: This retrospective, observational study included patients aged ≥ 19 years from the claims database during the identification period (January 2019 to December 2020) and 12 months of continuous enrollment. The primary outcome was evidence of TRT in the 12 months following the index date (first ASCVD diagnosis in the ASCVD cohort; first claim in the claims database in the overall population). Diagnostic codes (ICD-10 and/or CPT) were used to define ASCVD and TRT diagnosis. RESULTS: The ASCVD cohort and overall population included 5,589,273 and 61,715,843 patients, respectively. In the ASCVD cohort, use of medications with a potential or known association with TRT was identified in 67.9% (statins), 17.7% (corticosteroids), and 16.7% (fluoroquinolones) of patients. Bempedoic acid use was reported in 1556 (< 0.1%) patients. TRT prevalence during 12-month follow-up was 3.4% (ASCVD cohort) and 1.9% (overall population). Among patients with ASCVD, 83.5% experienced TRT in only one region of the body. Factors most associated with TRT in the ASCVD cohort were increasing age, most notably in those aged 45-|64 years (odds ratio [OR] 2.19; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.07-2.32), obesity (OR 1.51; 95% CI 1.50-1.53), and rheumatoid arthritis (OR 1.47; 95% CI 1.45-1.79). Use of statins or bempedoic acid was not associated with increased TRT risk. CONCLUSION: Patients with ASCVD may have greater risk of TRT than the general population, which may be driven by an increased prevalence of comorbidities and use of medications with a potential or known association with TRT.

Patients with atherosclerosis, the main cause of heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral vascular disease, typically require several drugs to control the disease. Some of the drugs used to treat atherosclerosis have been linked to a higher occurrence of tendon tears (or ruptures) or swelling/inflammation of the tendons (tendinopathies). However, there may be other factors present in these patients that increase the risk of tendon injuries that are not related to these drugs. This study used the medical records of over 5.5 million patients with atherosclerosis and over 63 million patients reflecting the general population in the United States to determine the prevalence of tendon injury. Additionally, the researchers looked at other factors that might be related to a higher risk of tendon injury in each group. Over a 12-month period, tendon injuries occurred in 3.4% of patients with atherosclerosis and 1.8% of patients in the general population. In patients with atherosclerosis, factors such as being obese, older (45­64 years), or having rheumatoid arthritis were also linked to an increased risk of tendon injuries. There was no association seen between statin or bempedoic acid use and tendon injuries. These results may help healthcare providers to determine the underlying risk of tendon injuries and guide treatment of this patient population.

Efficacy and safety of bempedoic acid in patients with and without metabolic syndrome: Pooled analysis of data from four phase 3 clinical trials.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Bempedoic acid significantly lowers low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in patients with hypercholesterolemia but its effects in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) have not been well characterized. We sought to determine the efficacy and safety of bempedoic acid in patients with hypercholesterolemia by baseline MetS status. METHODS: This study used pooled data from four phase 3 studies. Using modified International Atherosclerosis Society guidelines, patients were grouped into two pools: those with and those without MetS. Patients with diabetes were excluded. Endpoints assessed change from baseline to week 12 in lipid and glycemic parameters and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), and safety. RESULTS: The study included 936 patients with MetS (bempedoic acid, 648; placebo, 288) and 1573 without MetS (bempedoic acid, 1037; placebo, 536). Significant placebo-corrected reductions in LDL-C were observed with bempedoic acid (p < 0.0001), with a slightly larger decrease in patients with vs. without MetS (-22.3% vs. -18.4%; interaction p = 0.0472). Compared with placebo, bempedoic acid significantly (p < 0.0001) lowered total cholesterol, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and hsCRP, with a similar magnitude of benefit observed between MetS categories. Triglycerides increased with bempedoic acid but only to a lesser extent than with placebo in patients without MetS (placebo-corrected difference, -4.4%; p = 0.02). Only patients with MetS experienced decreases in glycated hemoglobin (-0.07%; p < 0.0001) and fasting plasma glucose (-2.4 mg/dL; p = 0.002). Safety was comparable between MetS categories and treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that bempedoic acid is a suitable therapy for patients with and without MetS who require additional lipid lowering.

Potential Cardiovascular Events Avoided with Bempedoic Acid Plus Ezetimibe Fixed-Dose Combination Compared with Ezetimibe Alone in Patients with Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Taking Maximally Tolerated Statins.

BACKGROUND: Patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease who require additional low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) lowering despite maximally tolerated statins have a significant unmet medical need and are at increased risk of future cardiovascular events and a reduced quality of life. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to estimate the percentage of cardiovascular events avoided following treatment with a fixed-dose combination of bempedoic acid plus ezetimibe (BA+EZE FDC) versus ezetimibe (EZE) in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease receiving maximally tolerated statins across a range of baseline LDL-C levels. METHODS: A Markov cohort simulation model estimated major adverse cardiovascular events avoided over a lifetime horizon among patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and baseline LDL-C levels from 80 to >200 mg/dL. BA+EZE FDC was compared with EZE based on mean percent LDL-C reductions versus placebo reported in a phase III trial. Health outcomes for the average patient were extrapolated to a US population of 100,000 persons using evidence on contemporary LDL-C levels from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. RESULTS: Among patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease not at the LDL-C goal with maximally tolerated statins, the addition of BA+EZE FDC compared with the addition of EZE was predicted to provide incremental absolute reductions in major adverse cardiovascular events dependent on baseline LDL-C levels at the population level. For those with baseline LDL-C of 101-110 mg/dL (n = 15,237), there were 4.9% (744) fewer events predicted, while for patients with baseline LDL-C of > 200 mg/dL (n = 1689), 10.9% (184) fewer events were predicted through the addition of BA+EZE FDC versus EZE. CONCLUSIONS: Further LDL-C reductions through the addition of BA+EZE FDC to maximally tolerated statins are predicted to reduce major adverse cardiovascular events compared with the addition of EZE. Benefits are potentially greater among those with higher starting LDL-C.

Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Model Development and Verification for Bioequivalence Testing of Bempedoic Acid Oral Suspension and Reference Tablet Formulation.

The bioequivalence of bempedoic acid oral suspension and commercial immediate release (IR) tablet formulations were assessed using a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model. The mechanistic model, developed from clinical mass balance results and in vitro intrinsic solubility, permeability, and dissolution data, was verified against observed clinical pharmacokinetics (PK) results. Model inputs included a fraction of a dose in solution (0.01%), viscosity (118.8 cps), and median particle diameter (50 µm) for the suspension and particle diameter (36.4 µm) for IR tablets. Dissolution was determined in the relevant media (pH 1.2-6.8) in vitro. Model simulations of bioequivalence predicted oral suspension (test) to IR tablet (reference) geometric mean ratio estimates of 96.9% (90% confidence interval [CI]: 92.6-101) for maximum concentration and 98.2% (90% CI: 87.3-111) for the area under the concentration-time curve. Sensitivity analyses showed gastric transit time had a minor impact on model predictions. Oral suspension biopharmaceutical safe space was defined by extremes of particle size and the percent of bempedoic acid in solution. PBPK model simulations predicted that the rate and extent of bempedoic acid absorption are unlikely to exhibit clinically meaningful differences when dosed as an oral suspension compared with an IR tablet without requiring a clinical bioequivalence study in adults.