Emerging Therapies for Hypercholesterolemia

Erin D. Michos, MD, MHS, FACC, FASPC: We are going to talk in our next segment about approaches to intensifying therapy. But before we close out this treatment segment, we have all these new tools, and we’re not using them. There’s underutilization of the tools we have. This is such an exciting field that there’s even newer things on the horizon. Pam, maybe you can tell us a little bit about things going on with ANGPTL3 [angiopoietin-like 3 protein], lipoprotein(a) directed therapy, and gene editing. What are some of the things that are being studied now?

Pam Taub, MD, FACC, FASPC: There are so many great clinical trials that are ongoing. One of them is with a lipoprotein lowering drug, called Pelacarsen. That trial is fully enrolled, we should get the results of that study soon. This will be the first study to really look at, does lowering of lipoprotein little-a reduce cardiovascular outcomes? We also have evinacumab, which works on the angiopoietin-like 3 platform. It has a potent LDL [low-density lipoprotein] and triglyceride-lowering effect. Right now, it's approved for homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. Then we also have some other exciting things, such as oral PCSK9 inhibitors, that are going to be going to Phase 3 trials. There are a lot of new things that we’re going to have that are going to add to this nonstatin therapy armamentarium.

Transcript edited for clarity