This phase 3 trial evaluated the safety and efficacy of inclisiran, a small interfering RNA that inhibits hepatic PCSK9 synthesis, in 482 adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, who ...received subcutaneous injections of inclisiran or placebo on days 1, 90, 270, and 450. Changes in cholesterol were assessed up to day 540.
Inclisiran, a small interfering RNA therapeutic, reduces hepatic synthesis of PCSK9. In two separate randomized trials, subcutaneous injections of inclisiran on day 1, day 90, and then every 6 months ...reduced LDL cholesterol levels by approximately 50% at month 17, with a modest excess of injection-site adverse events.
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of inclisiran by diabetes status.
ORION-1 (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02597127) randomized 501 subjects with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) or ASCVD ...risk equivalents and high LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), despite maximally tolerated LDL-C-lowering therapies, to one or two doses of placebo or inclisiran. Levels of lipids and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) at baseline and day 180 were compared.
Inclisiran was associated with marked declines in LDL-C (median -28% to -52%,
< 0.0001 and -28% to -55%,
< 0.005 for all doses in the without- and with-diabetes groups, respectively) and PCSK9. The inclisiran-treated groups also had lower apolipoprotein B, non-HDL cholesterol, and lipoprotein(a) but higher HDL cholesterol. Inclisiran had an adverse profile similar to that of placebo, and adverse events were proportionally balanced in the baseline with- and without-diabetes groups.
PCSK9-targeted siRNA-driven strategies may provide a novel therapeutic option for managing dyslipidemia in the presence and absence of diabetes.
To investigate the pharmacodynamic properties of inclisiran, a small interfering RNA targeting proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9), in individuals with normal renal function and ...renal impairment (RI).
The analysis included participants with normal renal function and mild, moderate, and severe RI from the phase 1 ORION-7 renal study (n=31) and the phase 2 ORION-1 study (n=247) who received 300 mg of inclisiran sodium or placebo.
In ORION-7, PCSK9 values were reduced at day 60 in the normal renal function group (68.1%±12.4%), mild RI group (74.2%±12.3%), moderate RI group (79.8%±4.9%), and severe RI group (67.9%±16.4%) (P<.001 vs placebo in all groups). Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were significantly reduced versus placebo: normal renal function, 57.6%±10.7%; mild RI, 35.1%±13.5%; moderate RI, 53.1%±21.3%; severe RI, 49.2%±26.6% (P<.001 for all). In ORION-1, PCSK9 level reductions at day 180 were 48.3% to 58.6% in the 300-mg single-dose groups and 67.3% to 73.0% in the 300-mg 2-dose groups (P<.001 vs placebo in all groups). The corresponding low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level reductions were 35.7% to 40.2% in the 300-mg single-dose groups and 50.9% to 58.0% in the 300 mg 2-dose groups (P<.001 vs placebo in all groups). In ORION-7, exposure to inclisiran was proportionally greater in individuals with increasing RI; inclisiran was undetectable in plasma 48 hours after administration in any group.
The pharmacodynamic effects and safety profile of inclisiran were similar in study participants with normal and impaired renal function. Dose adjustments of inclisiran are not required in these patients.
clinicaltrials.gov Identifiers: NCT02597127 and NCT03159416.
Inclisiran is a double-stranded small interfering RNA that suppresses proprotein convertase subtilisin–kexin type 9 (PCSK9) translation in the liver, leading to sustained reductions in low-density ...lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and other atherogenic lipoproteins with twice-yearly dosing.
The purpose of this study was to conduct a patient-level pooled analysis from 3 phase 3 studies of inclisiran.
Participants with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (ORION-9 Trial to Evaluate the Effect of Inclisiran Treatment on Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL-C) in Subjects With Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia (HeFH)), atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) (ORION-10 Inclisiran for Participants With Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease and Elevated Low-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol), or ASCVD and ASCVD risk equivalents (ORION-11 Inclisiran for Subjects With ASCVD or ASCVD-Risk Equivalents and Elevated Low-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol) taking maximally tolerated statin therapy, with or without other LDL-C–lowering agents, were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either inclisiran or placebo, administered by subcutaneous injection on day 1, day 90, and every 6 months thereafter for 540 days. The coprimary endpoints were the placebo-corrected percentage change in LDL-C level from baseline to day 510 and the time-adjusted percentage change in LDL-C level from baseline after day 90 to day 540. Levels of other atherogenic lipoproteins and treatment-emergent adverse events were also assessed.
A total of 3,660 participants (n = 482, n = 1,561, and n = 1,617 from ORION-9, -10, and -11, respectively) underwent randomization. The placebo-corrected change in LDL-C with inclisiran at day 510 was −50.7% (95% confidence interval: −52.9% to −48.4%; p < 0.0001). The corresponding time-adjusted change in LDL-C was −50.5% (95% confidence interval: −52.1% to −48.9%; p < 0.0001). Safety was similar in both groups. Treatment-emergent adverse events at the injection site were more frequent with inclisiran than placebo (5.0% vs. 0.7%), but were predominantly mild, and none were severe or persistent. Liver and kidney function tests, creatine kinase values, and platelet counts did not differ between groups.
These pooled safety and efficacy data show that inclisiran, given twice yearly in addition to maximally tolerated statin therapy with or without other LDL-C lowering agents, is an effective, safe, and well-tolerated treatment to lower LDL-C in adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, ASCVD, or ASCVD risk equivalents.
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Inclisiran is a small interfering RNA molecule that was designed to reduce plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels by inhibiting proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 ...synthesis in the liver. This study aimed to characterize the tissue distribution and excretion of inclisiran after dosing in monkeys.
A single 20 mg/kg subcutaneous injection of 14C-inclisiran was administered to 12 male cynomolgus monkeys. Plasma concentrations and tissue binding parameters for inclisiran were assessed up to 42 days after injection using liquid scintillation of blood samples and tissue homogenates, as well as quantitative whole-body autoradiography.
Radioactivity was highest in the liver at all time points from 24 h onward and remained elevated throughout the entire study period. Radioactivity was also detected in the kidneys and bladder wall, returning to low levels by 24 h. The concentration of radioactivity in the liver (402.97 μg equivalent/g) was 15.7-fold higher than in the kidneys (25.70 μg equivalent/g). Very low amounts of radioactivity were detected in all other tissues examined. The highest radioactivity in tissue homogenates was in the liver and kidney pyramid (327 and 351 μg equivalent/g, respectively).
This study confirmed the selective uptake of inclisiran by the liver, indicating that the N-acetylgalactosamine linker allows for selective uptake via the asialoglycoprotein receptors expressed on hepatocytes compared with other tissues that lack asialoglycoprotein receptors. The long tissue retention in the liver supports the infrequent, biannual dosing schedule for inclisiran in the clinic and the temporal disconnect between short-term systemic exposure and sustained lowering of LDL-C.
•Inclisiran (small interfering RNA) acts in liver to lower plasma LDL cholesterol.•Pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of 14C-inclisiran were assessed in monkeys.•Radioactivity was highest in the liver at 24 h; elevated throughout the study.•Radioactivity was low in other tissues; baseline levels in kidney/bladder by 1 day.•Selective inclisiran uptake and retention by liver, supports twice yearly dosing.
Sustained reductions in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) with lipid-lowering therapies that require frequent dosing are reliant on patient adherence, and poor adherence is associated with ...worse clinical outcomes.
To determine whether inclisiran, a small interfering RNA, reduces mean LDL-C exposure with an infrequent dosing regimen.
Prespecified analysis of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter phase 2 clinical trial. Participants were followed up monthly for LDL-C levels and proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9) measurements as well as safety until their LDL-C levels had returned to within 20% of their change from baseline (maximum 360 days). The study included patients with elevated LDL-C despite maximally tolerated statin therapy. Data were analyzed between January 11, 2016, and June 7, 2017.
One dose (200, 300, or 500 mg on day 1) or 2 doses (100, 200, or 300 mg on days 1 and 90) of inclisiran sodium or placebo.
Duration of time to return to within 20% of change from baseline for LDL-C levels and time-averaged LDL-C reductions over 1 year.
At baseline, among the 501 participants, 65% were men (n = 326 of 501), mean age was 63 years, 6% had familial hypercholesterolemia (n = 28 of 501), and 69% had established ASCVD (n = 347 of 501). Baseline LDL-C was 128 mg/dL among 501 randomized participants. The percentage of participants who were followed up to day 360 because their LDL-C levels had not returned to within 20% of their change from baseline ranged from 48.3% to 65.0% for those receiving a single dose and between 55.9% and 83.1% of those receiving 2 doses, with similar effects observed for PCSK9. Time-averaged reduction in LDL-C levels over 1 year after a single dose ranged from 29.5% to 38.7% (P < .001 between groups) and from 29.9% to 46.4% (P < .001 between groups) for those who received 2 doses. The 2-dose 300-mg regimen produced the highest proportion of responders at day 360 and the greatest mean reduction in LDL-C over 1 year. Incidence of adverse events was similar through to 1 year.
Treatment with inclisiran resulted in durable reductions in LDL-C over 1 year. Inclisiran may offer a novel approach to LDL-C reduction with the convenience of infrequent dosing.
ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02597127.
In a phase 1 trial, healthy volunteers were assigned to an RNAi therapeutic inhibitor of PCSK9 or placebo. Single doses of 300 mg or more reduced LDL cholesterol by up to 50%; multiple-dose regimens ...reduced LDL cholesterol by up to 59%. No serious adverse events were reported.
An elevated level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
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Despite the use of statin therapy, alone or in combination with other lipid-lowering medications, many at-risk patients continue to have elevated levels of LDL cholesterol.
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Hence, there is a need for additional treatment options for lowering of the LDL cholesterol level to reduce cardiovascular risk.
Proprotein convertase subtilisin–kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is a recently identified but well-validated target for LDL cholesterol–lowering therapy.
5
This serine protease, which is expressed and secreted into the bloodstream predominantly by the liver, binds LDL receptors both intracellularly and . . .
Abstract Background and aims Effects of single ascending doses of MDCO-216 on plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels were assessed in human healthy volunteers and in patients with stable coronary artery ...disease (CAD). Methods MDCO-216 was infused at a single dose of 5, 10, 20, 30 or 40 mg/kg over 2 h and blood was collected at 2, 4, 8, 24, 48, 168 and 720 h after start of infusion (ASOI). Lipoprotein lipids were assessed by FLPC and by 1H-NMR. Results Plasma concentrations of free cholesterol (FC) displayed a rapid and dose-dependent rise, peaking at 8 h, but remaining above baseline until 48 h ASOI, whereas levels of esterified cholesterol (CE) increased at lower doses but not at higher doses, and even decreased below baseline at the highest dose. Plasma cholesterol esterification rate (CER) decreased with a first nadir between 4 and 8 h and a second nadir at 48 h ASOI. Taken over all subjects receiving MDCO-216, the increase in FC at 8 h correlated inversely with the drop in CER at 4 h but positively with the increase in basal and scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI)-mediated cholesterol efflux capacities at 2 h ASOI. Upon FPLC analysis, FC was found to increase first in high density lipoproteins (HDL) and very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) and later (at 48 or 168 h ASOI) in low density lipoproteins (LDL). CE initially decreased in LDL and HDL but after 24 h started to increase in VLDL and LDL whereas HDL-CE was still below baseline at 48 h. Phospholipids (PL) showed the same pattern as FC. Triglycerides (TG) also rose rapidly, most prominently in VLDL, but also in LDL and HDL. Apolipoprotein E (Apo-E) in VLDL increased at 4–8 h but returned to baseline at 24 h ASOI. 1H-NMR analysis showed a rapid and dose-dependent increase in HDL particle size, peaking at 2 h and returning to baseline at 24 h, and a small increase in HDL particle concentration. After infusion of the 40 mg/kg dose, LDL and VLDL-particles also increased in number and size. Conclusions A single administration of MDCO-216 caused rapid changes in lipid levels and lipoprotein composition, some of which persisted for at least 7 days.