Breakthrough in Heart Disease Treatment: Lilly’s Muvalaplin and Silence Therapeutics’ Zerlasiran Show Promising Results in Lowering Lipoprotein(a) Levels
Lilly's Muvalaplin:
An oral, once-daily treatment that inhibits lipoprotein(a) formation by blocking the initial interaction between apolipoprotein(a) and apolipoproteinB. It achieved up to 85.8% reduction in Lp(a) levels at the highest tested dose in a 12-week Phase 2 study35.
Silence Therapeutics' Zerlasiran:
An injectable small interfering RNA therapy that targets lipoprotein(a). It reduced Lp(a) levels by more than 80% on average over 36 weeks in a Phase 2 trial, with minimal side effects12.
Significance:
High levels of Lp(a) are a significant risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, affecting over one billion adults globally. Current cholesterol-lowering therapies are not approved to lower Lp(a) levels, highlighting an unmet need for effective treatments23.
Future Directions:
Both muvalaplin and zerlasiran are moving towards further clinical trials to establish their efficacy in reducing cardiovascular events. Lilly is exploring next steps for muvalaplin, while Silence Therapeutics is preparing for Phase 3 trials for zerlasiran23.
Competition:
The development of these drugs sets the stage for a potential showdown between Lilly and AstraZeneca, which has also invested in an orally available Lp(a) blocking candidate4.
Sources:
1. https://newsroom.clevelandclinic.org/2024/11/18/cleveland-clinic-led-trial-finds-novel-drug-can-reduce-lipoproteina-an-important-risk-factor-of-heart-disease-by-more-than-80
2. https://www.insideprecisionmedicine.com/topics/patient-care/lipoproteina-lowering-draw-between-lilly-and-silence/
3. https://www.biospace.com/drug-development/lilly-plots-path-for-cholesterol-pill-after-strong-mid-stage-showing
4. https://oodaloop.com/briefs/technology/lillys-lipoprotein-blocking-heart-med-posts-midstage-win-turning-up-heat-on-potential-az-showdown/
5. https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/lillys-muvalaplin-lowered-lipoproteina-levels-adults-high-risk