AstraZeneca investigates statin impact on atherosclerosis progression

AstraZeneca has announced the launch of a new clinical study investigating the impact of Crestor (rosuvastatin) 40 mg and Liptor (atorvastatin) 80mg on the progression of atherosclerosis in high-risk patients.

The study, entitled Saturn, will compare the effects of the two statins on the ability to reduce progression or induce regression of atherosclerosis – a major cause of cardiovascular disease.

Saturn will enrol 1,300 patients at 170 centres worldwide and is part of AstraZeneca’s Galaxy programme which attempts to investigate new areas of statin research.

Elisabeth Bjork, global medical science director for Crestor, outlined how previously the impact of atherosclerosis had been studied in separate trials for the two statins.

“This study, for the first time, will provide physicians with important information to better understand how these two statins compare when treating dyslipidaemic patients with advanced atherosclerosis,” she confirmed.

Earlier Galaxy studies – Meteor and Asteroid – demonstrated that intensive treatment with Crestor resulted in effective lipid management and positive effects across the atherosclerotic disease spectrum.

Late last year, AstraZeneca received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for the use of Crestor as an adjunct to diet in order to slow the progression in patients with elevated cholesterol.