Eli Lilly’s cholesterol pill impresses in trial | Wilnesh News

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analysts say Eli Lilly and Company There may be future blockbuster drugs Its hand: An experimental pill designed to lower genetics A form of high cholesterol.

Pharmaceutical giants proposed Mid-term trial data for the pillMuvaraprine was presented Monday at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Chicago. The treatment demonstrates the diversity of Eli Lilly’s drug pipeline beyond its best-selling weight loss and diabetes treatments.

Here’s why taking your daily pill is so important: Muvalaplin is the only oral therapy among several injectable treatments in development to treat high levels of lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), in the blood, an inherited risk for heart disease factor. These include Eli Lilly’s own late-stage injectable drugs, Rebaudi Zealandand from injection Novartis and Amgen.

about One in five AmericansAccording to the Family Heart Foundation, 63 million people have elevated Lp(a) levels.

There are currently no approved treatments to lower Lp(a,), which significantly increases the risk of heart attack, stroke and the buildup of fatty plaque in the arteries. Ruth Gimeno, Eli Lilly’s group vice president of diabetes and metabolic research, said in an interview that Lp(a) levels are determined by a person’s genes, so lifestyle changes such as diet or exercise have no effect. any impact.

This is different from LDL (also called low-density lipoprotein or “bad cholesterol”), which can be treated with lifestyle changes and taking statins.

Let’s dig into the data.

The phase 2 trial compared three daily doses of the pill (10, 60 and 240 mg) with placebo for 12 weeks in adults at high cardiovascular risk due to extremely high Lp(a) levels. Eli Lilly researchers tested Lp(a) levels using traditional blood tests and a new method developed by the company that more specifically measures intact Lp(a) particles in the blood.

The results showed that the highest dose of the drug reduced Lp(a) levels by 70% compared to placebo, according to traditional blood tests; and by nearly 86% compared to placebo, according to more specific tests. %.

According to more specific testing, levels were similarly reduced by 81.7% with the 60 mg dose and 47.6% with the 10 mg dose compared to placebo.

In terms of safety, side effects were similar between the Lilly and placebo groups.

“We are very, very pleased with the safety profile of this molecule,” Jimeno said. “There really weren’t any red flags.”

She said the company is discussing next steps for the drug with the FDA, including how to design a Phase 3 trial of the drug. Jimeno noted that Eli Lilly estimates that “it may be four to five years before we see final results from late-stage studies.”

Late-stage trials may show whether the drug can reduce cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes, she added.

Based on phase 2 trial data, Eli Lilly’s drug appears to be competitive with injectable therapies in development, Leerink Partners analyst David Risinger said in a research note on Tuesday.

Risinger added that Muvalaplin has “huge potential” if late-stage data shows it can help prevent consequences such as heart disease and stroke.

He noted that Novartis’ experimental injectable pelacarsen may be the first treatment to show the benefit of lowering Lp(a) levels in reducing cardiovascular risk. The company plans to release data from a late-stage trial of the shot in mid-2025.

Please feel free to send Annika any tips, suggestions, story ideas and data: annikakim.constantino@nbcuni.com.

Dexcon Tuesday declare As part of the new integration, its glucose biosensor will be compatible with Oura’s smart ring. Dexcom also kicked off Oura’s latest funding round by investing $75 million, valuing the company at more than $5 billion, according to a press release.

An Oura spokesperson told CNBC that other investors in this round have not yet been identified.

Oura’s ring can track sleep, exercise, stress, heart health and other metrics. The company launched new hardware and updated apps last month. Dexcom’s continuous glucose monitors are small sensors that pierce the skin to measure instant glucose levels.

Dexcom said that through the new partnership, data will flow between Dexcom and Oura products so that users can gain a more complete understanding of their health. The first app integration between the two companies will launch in the first half of next year.

Oura and Dexcom will also begin cross-selling and co-marketing their products, the release said.

Dexcom’s devices have historically been designed for diabetics, but this year it’s starting to enter a more consumer-friendly market. The company released a new over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor called Stelo in August that can be used by any adult who doesn’t take insulin. The launch of Stelo means that many wearable users, such as Oura customers, can use Dexcom’s technology for the first time.

Matt Dolan, executive vice president of strategy and corporate development at Dexcom, said in a statement on Tuesday: “This powerful combination (with Oura) will attract new shared customers who want to better understand the connection between activity, sleep, nutrition and blood sugar. association.

Oura expressed interest in the metabolic health field this year, laying the groundwork for a partnership with Dexcom. September, Oura declare The company has agreed to acquire Veri, a company that uses continuous glucose monitors to help users eat healthily and lose weight.

Oura CEO Tom Hale called metabolic health “nature’s next dimension of the Oura Ring experience” in a statement blog post This follows an announcement in September. A spokesman said the company’s acquisition of Veri has been completed.

Read CNBC’s review of the Oura Ring 4. Read CNBC’s review of Dexcom’s Stelo.

Please feel free to send any tips, suggestions, story ideas and data to Ashley at ashley.capoot@nbcuni.com.