Treatment with a PCSK9 inhibitor is well tolerated and improves cardiovascular outcomes .
Although no overall benefit was noted in all-cause or cardiovascular mortality , such benefit may be achievable in patients with higher baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol
BACKGROUND We sought to examine the efficacy and safety of 2 PCSK9 ( proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 ) inhibitors : alirocumab and evolocumab .
Efficacy and safety of alirocumab in high cardiovascular risk patients with inadequately controlled hypercholesterolaemia on maximally tolerated doses of statins: the ODYSSEY COMBO II randomized controlled trial
Aims To compare the efficacy [ low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( LDL-C ) lowering ] and safety of alirocumab , a fully human monoclonal antibody to proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 , compared with ezetimibe , as add-on therapy to maximally tolerated statin therapy in high cardiovascular risk patients with inadequately controlled hypercholesterolaemia . Methods and results COMBO II is a double-blind , double-dummy , active-controlled , parallel-group , 104-week study of alirocumab vs. ezetimibe .  Patients ( n = 720 ) with high cardiovascular risk and elevated LDL-C despite maximal doses of statins were enrolled ( August 2012–May 2013 ) . This pre-specified analysis was conducted after the last patient completed 52 weeks . Patients were r and omized to subcutaneous alirocumab 75 mg every 2 weeks ( plus oral placebo ) or oral ezetimibe 10 mg daily ( plus subcutaneous placebo ) on a background of statin therapy . At Week 24 , mean ± SE reductions in LDL-C from baseline were 50.6 ± 1.4 % for alirocumab vs. 20.7 ± 1.9 % for ezetimibe ( difference 29.8 ± 2.3 % ; P < 0.0001 ) ; 77.0 % of alirocumab and 45.6 % of ezetimibe patients achieved LDL-C < 1.8 mmol/L ( P < 0.0001 ) . Mean achieved LDL-C at Week 24 was 1.3 ± 0.04 mmol/L with alirocumab and 2.1 ± 0.05 mmol/L with ezetimibe , and were maintained to Week 52 . Alirocumab was generally well tolerated , with no evidence of an excess of treatment-emergent adverse events . Conclusion In patients at high cardiovascular risk with inadequately controlled LDL-C , alirocumab achieved significantly greater reductions in LDL-C compared with ezetimibe , with a similar safety profile . Trial registration clinical trials.gov Identifier : NCT01644188
Treatment with a PCSK9 inhibitor is well tolerated and improves cardiovascular outcomes .
Although no overall benefit was noted in all-cause or cardiovascular mortality , such benefit may be achievable in patients with higher baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol
BACKGROUND We sought to examine the efficacy and safety of 2 PCSK9 ( proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 ) inhibitors : alirocumab and evolocumab .