AMGEN PRESENTS NEW DATA ACROSS ITS CARDIOMETABOLIC PORTFOLIO AT AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION 86TH SCIENTIFIC SESSIONS
Amgen has announced new data regarding the efficacy of Repatha®, a treatment for high-risk diabetes patients, which will be presented at the American Diabetes Association's 86th Scientific Sessions. The results demonstrate that Repatha reduces the risk of first major cardiovascular events by 29% in patients with high-risk diabetes characterized by conditions like microvascular disease, insulin use, or a diabetes duration of 10 years or more.
The Phase 3 VESALIUS-CV trial analyzed a cohort of 6,002 patients and found that when Repatha was added to statins or other LDL-C-lowering therapies, it significantly reduced the risk of combined coronary heart disease death, myocardial infarction, or ischemic stroke. Additionally, the risk of a further primary endpoint that included ischemia-driven revascularization was reduced by 21%. The median achieved LDL-C level in the Repatha group was reported at 45 mg/dL compared to 106 mg/dL for placebo.
According to Amgen, the treatment's benefits were consistent regardless of whether patients were concurrently treated with sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors or glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. This emphasizes the importance of addressing multiple cardiovascular risk factors in patients with high-risk diabetes.
Jay Bradner, M.D., Amgen's executive vice president of Research and Development, noted that individuals with diabetes are at a doubled risk for heart attacks or strokes. The findings from VESALIUS-CV were highlighted as critical for preventing severe cardiovascular events for those with high-risk diabetes. Moreover, Amgen is presenting real-world evidence that underscores the necessity for continued long-term treatment in managing chronic conditions like diabetes and obesity.
Amgen will also showcase several other studies highlighting the challenges of treatment adherence and persistence rates among patients using GLP-1 therapies for glycemic control and weight management, indicating that low persistence may limit treatment outcomes compared to clinical trials.