Monthly shots of Amgen drug slash cholesterol up to 66 percent

Monthly injections of an experimental drug from Amgen Inc slashed levels of cholesterol by up to an additional 66 percent in patients already taking statins, researchers said on Sunday, making it a potential strong rival to a similar drug being developed by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.


Amgen and Regeneron are racing to develop medicines that cut cholesterol through a new strategy, by blocking a protein called PCSK9.


In earlier studies, both drugs cut levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol by up to two thirds, although Amgen’s AMG 145 had been tested in healthy volunteers taking no other cholesterol medicines, while Regeneron’s REGN 727 was tested in patients with high cholesterol that also took statins.


Amgen on Sunday reported its first results from an early-stage trial of AMG 145 in patients with high cholesterol also taking statins, and impressive findings were seen in those getting injections every two weeks or every month.

Source: http://www.health.am/cholesterol/more/monthly-shots-of-amgen-drug/

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