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Fox News
15 hours ago
- Health
- Fox News
Experimental cholesterol pill cuts heart attack risk with 'convenient' once-daily dose
A new daily pill could provide an easier, more convenient way to lower cholesterol and reduce heart attack and stroke risk. The experimental medication, called Obicetrapib, underwent a Phase 3 clinical trial at Monash University in Australia. The trial included more than 2,500 people averaging 65 years of age. All had either been diagnosed with heart disease or had genetically high cholesterol, according to a university press release. All participants were receiving "maximum tolerated doses" of cholesterol-lowering therapy. One group received Obicetrapib and another group took a placebo, while still maintaining their existing cholesterol drugs. After 12 weeks, the participants taking the new drug showed a 32.6% reduction in LDL cholesterol and a 33.5% drop in lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], the release stated. The findings were presented last month at the European Atherosclerosis Society Congress in the U.K. and were also published in The New England Journal of Medicine. "We know that many people at high risk of heart attack or stroke don't get their cholesterol levels low enough, even on the best available treatments," said study lead Professor Stephen Nicholls, director of Monash University's Victorian Heart Institute and Monash Health's Victorian Heart Hospital, in the release. "We know that many people at high risk of heart attack or stroke don't get their cholesterol levels low enough, even on the best available treatments." "Obicetrapib offers a promising new option — not only did it lower LDL cholesterol by over 30%, but we also saw a reduction in Lp(a), which is much harder to treat and has been linked to increased heart disease risk." Low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which is sometimes called "bad cholesterol," is associated with negative health effects when present in high amounts. LDL can build up in the blood vessels and increase heart attack and stroke risk, the researchers cautioned. Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), is a protein that is known to greatly increase the chances of a heart attack when it's present in high levels in the blood. Unlike LDL, Lp(a) is an inherited risk factor that can't be modified with healthy behaviors or medications. Obicetrapib was found to be "well-tolerated" by the participants, the researchers noted. "This could be a valuable tool in the fight against heart disease," Nicholls added. "It's convenient, it's effective, and it may help close the gap for patients who've run out of options." The study — which was funded by NewAmsterdam Pharma, a developer of Obicetrapib that is based in the Netherlands — did have some limitations, the researchers noted. For example, the participants were not chosen based on high Lp(a), which means the study did not determine how the drug impacted those with elevated levels of the protein. Additionally, the study assessed changes in LDL levels, but did not measure actual heart attack or stroke outcomes. For more Health articles, visit More studies are needed to follow patients for longer time periods and to include more diverse cohorts, the researchers acknowledged. Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for additional comment.
India.com
12-05-2025
- Health
- India.com
New Cholesterol-Lowering Pill Shows Promise In Cutting Heart Attack And Stroke Risk
New Delhi: An international team of researchers found that a cholesterol-lowering drug may offer a more effective and convenient way to protect people at high risk of heart attack and stroke. The study led by researchers at Monash University in Australia tested a once-daily oral medication called Obicetrapib and found it significantly lowered both LDL or bad cholesterol and lipoprotein(a), [Lp(a)] -- two key contributors to cardiovascular disease. The findings marked an important step forward for patients who have struggled to reach their cholesterol targets with current therapies, said study lead Professor Stephen Nicholls, Director of Monash University's Victorian Heart Institute. "We know that many people at high risk of heart attack or stroke don't get their cholesterol levels low enough, even on the best available treatments," Nicholls said. "Obicetrapib offers a promising new option-not only did it lower LDL cholesterol by over 30 per cent, but we also saw a reduction in Lp(a), which is much harder to treat and has been linked to increased heart disease risk," he added. LDL cholesterol, often referred to as "bad cholesterol," builds up in blood vessels and increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), is a lesser-known but inherited risk factor that can also accelerate artery damage -- and unlike LDL, there are currently no widely approved treatments to lower it. The trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, included more than 2,500 participants with established heart disease or genetic high cholesterol who were given either Obicetrapib or a placebo, in addition to their regular cholesterol medications. After 12 weeks, those on Obicetrapib had dropped their LDL cholesterol by 32.6 per cent and Lp(a) by 33.5 per cent on average -- many achieved guideline-recommended targets for the first time. Obicetrapib was also well tolerated, with a safety profile similar to earlier trials. "This could be a valuable tool in the fight against heart disease," Professor Nicholls said. "It's convenient, it's effective, and it may help close the gap for patients who've run out of options."
Hans India
10-05-2025
- Health
- Hans India
This cholesterol pill may fight high risk of heart attack, stroke: Study
An international team of researchers found that a cholesterol-lowering drug may offer a more effective and convenient way to protect people at high risk of heart attack and stroke. The study led by researchers at Monash University in Australia tested a once-daily oral medication called Obicetrapib and found it significantly lowered both LDL or bad cholesterol and lipoprotein(a), [Lp(a)] -- two key contributors to cardiovascular disease. The findings marked an important step forward for patients who have struggled to reach their cholesterol targets with current therapies, said study lead Professor Stephen Nicholls, Director of Monash University's Victorian Heart Institute. "We know that many people at high risk of heart attack or stroke don't get their cholesterol levels low enough, even on the best available treatments," Nicholls said. "Obicetrapib offers a promising new option-not only did it lower LDL cholesterol by over 30 per cent, but we also saw a reduction in Lp(a), which is much harder to treat and has been linked to increased heart disease risk," he added. LDL cholesterol, often referred to as "bad cholesterol," builds up in blood vessels and increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), is a lesser-known but inherited risk factor that can also accelerate artery damage -- and unlike LDL, there are currently no widely approved treatments to lower it. The trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, included more than 2,500 participants with established heart disease or genetic high cholesterol who were given either Obicetrapib or a placebo, in addition to their regular cholesterol medications. After 12 weeks, those on Obicetrapib had dropped their LDL cholesterol by 32.6 per cent and Lp(a) by 33.5 per cent on average -- many achieved guideline-recommended targets for the first time. Obicetrapib was also well tolerated, with a safety profile similar to earlier trials. "This could be a valuable tool in the fight against heart disease," Professor Nicholls said. "It's convenient, it's effective, and it may help close the gap for patients who've run out of options."
The Guardian
17-02-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Weight loss drug Wegovy approved to treat heart disease in overweight and obese Australian patients
A weight loss drug has been approved to treat heart disease in overweight and obese patients by Australia's medicines regulator, in what experts say is a 'new frontier for the drugs'. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) granted approval in December 2024 for semaglutide 2.4 mg, sold under the brand name Wegovy, to be used as a complementary therapy for adults with both cardiovascular disease and high body mass index, to reduce the related risk of heart attack, stroke or death. While the new 'indication' for the drug meant the TGA had satisfactory evidence of its benefits in regard to those particular conditions, it did not alter the cost of the drug – the decision for the government to subsidise its price and list it on the pharmaceutical benefits scheme (PBS) is separate. Wegovy is part of the same class of drugs as Ozempic and Mounjaro, known as GLP-1 RAs, which mimic the hormone that stimulates the digestive system, essentially telling the body it is full after eating. Ozempic has been approved for use in Australia for management of type 2 diabetes, and approved on the PBS for that condition – but not put on the PBS for weight loss. Wegovy was approved by the TGA in August 2024 as a treatment for chronic weight management – but denied for the PBS. Wegovy's approval as a prescription for cardiovascular disease followed findings from the Select trial, of 17,604 participants across 41 countries including Australia. They were all above 45 years of age with preexisting heart disease and a body mass index of 27 or greater, but did not have diabetes. Half were given Wegovy and the other half a placebo. The results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed that compared to the placebo group, heart attack or stroke incidence among patients taking Wegovy reduced by 20%. Prof Stephen Nicholls, the lead of the Australian arm of the Select trial and the director of the Victorian Heart Institute at Monash University, said while the GLP-1 RAs medications were originally developed as diabetes drugs, the Select study excluding diabetic patients showed 'a new frontier for the drugs in their own right'. Nicholls called the TGA approval a 'significant result'. 'We have really good medications for cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, but we've never been able to show that a medication that loses weight, or even a medication that we're using specifically for people who are overweight, can actually reduce the chance of having a heart attack or a stroke,' he said. The study did not directly link the benefits of Wegovy for patients with heart disease to how much weight was lost; even patients who did not lose a lot of weight found the drugs positively impacted inflammation, blood lipids and blood pressure, all crucial in preventing heart attacks and strokes, Nicholls said. 'There's potentially a lot of people who might benefit from these therapies, and so we need better access,' Nicholls said, pointing to the need to improve availability and lower the cost for patients. Dr David Henry, an honorary adjunct professor in the faculty of science and medicine at the Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare at Bond University, said the Select trial was strong. Whether Wegovy should get PBS listing for the new indication was a 'more difficult question', he said. With a 'large population' likely to be now eligible to be prescribed Wegovy under the new indication, he noted 'the budgetary effect [of putting it on the PBS] will be huge.'
