Amgen reveals further positive cholesterol drug data

Amgen has presented new data from a pair of phase III trials that further underline the clinical benefits of its promising cholesterol-lowering medication evolocumab.

Positive results from the two separate studies, GAUSS-2 and LAPLACE-2, were presented last week at the American College of Cardiology's 63rd annual scientific session, with data from GAUSS-2 also appearing simultaneously in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

The findings of GAUSS-2 revealed the drug was associated with a statistically significant reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol between 37 and 39 percent compared to ezetimibe in patients with high cholesterol who cannot tolerate statins.

Meanwhile, the LAPLACE-2 data showed how evolocumab cut cholesterol levels by 55 to 76 percent compared to placebo when used in combination with statin therapy.

Dr Sean Harper, executive vice-president of research and development at Amgen, said: "We are working closely with regulatory authorities on our global filing plan in hopes of bringing this new treatment option to patients with dyslipidemia."

This follows the presentation of equally positive findings from the phase III MENDEL-2, RUTHERFORD-2 and DESCARTES trials in the last few days.