Safety and Efficacy of Bempedoic Acid to Reduce LDL Cholesterol
- PMID:30865796
- DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1803917
Safety and Efficacy of Bempedoic Acid to Reduce LDL Cholesterol
Abstract
Background: Short-term studies have shown that bempedoic acid, an inhibitor of ATP citrate lyase, reduces levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Data are limited regarding the safety and efficacy of bempedoic acid treatment in long-term studies involving patients with hypercholesterolemia who are receiving guideline-recommended statin therapy.
Methods: We conducted a randomized, controlled trial involving patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, or both. Patients had to have an LDL cholesterol level of at least 70 mg per deciliter while they were receiving maximally tolerated statin therapy with or without additional lipid-lowering therapy. (Maximally tolerated statin therapy was defined as the highest intensity statin regimen that a patient was able to maintain, as determined by the investigator.) Patients were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to receive bempedoic acid or placebo. The primary end point was safety, and the principal secondary end point (principal efficacy end point) was the percentage change in the LDL cholesterol level at week 12 of 52 weeks.
Results: The trial involved 2230 patients, of whom 1488 were assigned to receive bempedoic acid and 742 to receive placebo. The mean (±SD) LDL cholesterol level at baseline was 103.2±29.4 mg per deciliter. The incidence of adverse events (1167 of 1487 patients [78.5%] in the bempedoic acid group and 584 of 742 [78.7%] in the placebo group) and serious adverse events (216 patients [14.5%] and 104 [14.0%], respectively) did not differ substantially between the two groups during the intervention period, but the incidence of adverse events leading to discontinuation of the regimen was higher in the bempedoic acid group than in the placebo group (162 patients [10.9%] vs. 53 [7.1%]), as was the incidence of gout (18 patients [1.2%] vs. 2 [0.3%]). At week 12, bempedoic acid reduced the mean LDL cholesterol level by 19.2 mg per deciliter, representing a change of -16.5% from baseline (difference vs. placebo in change from baseline, -18.1 percentage points; 95% confidence interval, -20.0 to -16.1; P<0.001). Safety and efficacy findings were consistent, regardless of the intensity of background statin therapy.
Conclusions: In this 52-week trial, bempedoic acid added to maximally tolerated statin therapy did not lead to a higher incidence of overall adverse events than placebo and led to significantly lower LDL cholesterol levels. (Funded by Esperion Therapeutics; CLEAR Harmony ClinicalTrials.gov number,NCT02666664.).
Copyright © 2019 Massachusetts Medical Society.
Comment in
- Human Genetics and Drug Development.Holmes MV.Holmes MV.N Engl J Med. 2019 Mar 14;380(11):1076-1079. doi: 10.1056/NEJMe1901565.N Engl J Med. 2019.PMID:30865805No abstract available.
- Targeting ATP citrate lyase to reduce LDL cholesterol.Huynh K.Huynh K.Nat Rev Cardiol. 2019 Jul;16(7):385. doi: 10.1038/s41569-019-0201-6.Nat Rev Cardiol. 2019.PMID:30992547No abstract available.
- Bempedoic Acid to Lower LDL Cholesterol - Safety and Efficacy.Giral P.Giral P.N Engl J Med. 2020 Aug 13;383(7):e49. doi: 10.1056/NEJMc1908495.N Engl J Med. 2020.PMID:32786202No abstract available.
- Bei Hochrisikopatienten Lipidsenker kombinieren.Arnheim K.Arnheim K.MMW Fortschr Med. 2021 Nov;163(Suppl 3):89. doi: 10.1007/s15006-021-0570-8.MMW Fortschr Med. 2021.PMID:34811692German.No abstract available.
Similar articles
- Effect of Bempedoic Acid vs Placebo Added to Maximally Tolerated Statins on Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in Patients at High Risk for Cardiovascular Disease: The CLEAR Wisdom Randomized Clinical Trial.Goldberg AC, Leiter LA, Stroes ESG, Baum SJ, Hanselman JC, Bloedon LT, Lalwani ND, Patel PM, Zhao X, Duell PB.Goldberg AC, et al.JAMA. 2019 Nov 12;322(18):1780-1788. doi: 10.1001/jama.2019.16585.JAMA. 2019.PMID:31714986Free PMC article.Clinical Trial.
- Bempedoic acid plus ezetimibe fixed-dose combination in patients with hypercholesterolemia and high CVD risk treated with maximally tolerated statin therapy.Ballantyne CM, Laufs U, Ray KK, Leiter LA, Bays HE, Goldberg AC, Stroes ES, MacDougall D, Zhao X, Catapano AL.Ballantyne CM, et al.Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2020 Apr;27(6):593-603. doi: 10.1177/2047487319864671. Epub 2019 Jul 29.Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2020.PMID:31357887Free PMC article.Clinical Trial.
- Efficacy and safety of bempedoic acid added to ezetimibe in statin-intolerant patients with hypercholesterolemia: A randomized, placebo-controlled study.Ballantyne CM, Banach M, Mancini GBJ, Lepor NE, Hanselman JC, Zhao X, Leiter LA.Ballantyne CM, et al.Atherosclerosis. 2018 Oct;277:195-203. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2018.06.002. Epub 2018 Jun 12.Atherosclerosis. 2018.PMID:29910030Clinical Trial.
- Role of Bempedoic Acid in Clinical Practice.Ballantyne CM, Bays H, Catapano AL, Goldberg A, Ray KK, Saseen JJ.Ballantyne CM, et al.Cardiovasc Drugs Ther. 2021 Aug;35(4):853-864. doi: 10.1007/s10557-021-07147-5. Epub 2021 Apr 5.Cardiovasc Drugs Ther. 2021.PMID:33818688Free PMC article.Review.
- Role of Bempedoic Acid in Dyslipidemia Management.Kelly MS, Sulaica EM, Beavers CJ.Kelly MS, et al.J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2020 Oct;76(4):376-388. doi: 10.1097/FJC.0000000000000887.J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2020.PMID:32732494Review.
Cited by
- Bempedoic Acid: The New Kid on the Block for the Treatment of Dyslipidemia and LDL Cholesterol: A Narrative Review.Alam U, Al-Bazz DY, Soran H.Alam U, et al.Diabetes Ther. 2021 Jul;12(7):1779-1789. doi: 10.1007/s13300-021-01070-6. Epub 2021 May 26.Diabetes Ther. 2021.PMID:34037950Free PMC article.Review.
- Chinese expert consensus on blood lipid management in patients with diabetes (2024 edition).Xiao Y, Yu B, Chao C, Wang S, Hu D, Wu C, Luo Y, Xie L, Li C, Peng D, Zhou Z; Endocrinology and Metabolism Physician Branch of the Chinese Medical; National Society of Cardiometabolic Medicine.Xiao Y, et al.J Transl Int Med. 2024 Oct 1;12(4):325-343. doi: 10.2478/jtim-2024-0014. eCollection 2024 Sep.J Transl Int Med. 2024.PMID:39360162Free PMC article.
- Lipid clinical trials with special reference to Indian population.Basha A, Ramakrishnan S.Basha A, et al.Indian Heart J. 2024 Mar;76 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S130-S137. doi: 10.1016/j.ihj.2024.02.003. Epub 2024 Feb 20.Indian Heart J. 2024.PMID:38387551Free PMC article.Review.
- Chinese Stroke Association guidelines for clinical management of cerebrovascular disorders: executive summary and 2019 update of the management of high-risk population.Wang Y, Han S, Qin H, Zheng H, Jiang B, Cao Y, Gao Y, Guan L, Jia Q, Jiang Y, Jiao Y, Li S, Li Y, Li Z, Liu W, Ru X, Sun D, Sun H, Wang P, Wang T, Zong L, Guo L, Xie X, Xu Y, Xu Y, Yang X, Yang Y, Zhou M, Wang W; Chinese Stroke Association Stroke Council Guideline Writing Committee.Wang Y, et al.Stroke Vasc Neurol. 2020 Sep;5(3):270-278. doi: 10.1136/svn-2020-000385. Epub 2020 Aug 13.Stroke Vasc Neurol. 2020.PMID:32792457Free PMC article.Review.
- A UK multicentre audit of the management of patients with primary hypercholesterolaemia or mixed dyslipidaemia with bempedoic acid against published lipid-lowering treatment targets.Ramachandran S, Maarouf A, Mitchell K, Avades T, Smith P, Boulton L, Kelly J, Vekaria N, Hughes E.Ramachandran S, et al.Drugs Context. 2024 Aug 8;13:2024-2-4. doi: 10.7573/dic.2024-2-4. eCollection 2024.Drugs Context. 2024.PMID:39165612Free PMC article.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Substances
Associated data
Related information
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Other Literature Sources
Medical