Cleveland Clinic Trial Reveals Novel Drug Ineffective in Reducing Cardiovascular Events
A significant clinical trial led by Cleveland Clinic has concluded that pelacarsen, a drug designed to lower lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)), did not reduce major adverse cardiovascular events over a 4.7-year follow-up period. The Phase 3 Lp(a)HORIZON trial involved 8,322 patients across 797 sites in 42 countries, all of whom had existing heart disease and elevated Lp(a) levels, and were already receiving standard treatments. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either 80 mg of pelacarsen or a placebo via monthly self-administered injections. The primary endpoint, defined as the time until a patient's first major cardiovascular event (heart-related death, heart attack, stroke, or urgent heart procedure), occurred in 12.3% of the pelacarsen group and 12.1% of the placebo group. While pelacarsen effectively lowered Lp(a) levels by 78.4% after one year compared to a 3.2% reduction in the placebo group, this significant reduction did not translate into a decrease in cardiovascular events. The drug also presented ...
