Latest news with #AZD0780
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
09-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Merck's potential cholesterol pill succeeds in late-stage studies
Merck's oral cholesterol pill succeeded in two late-stage studies, marking a win for the drugmaker as it focuses on the development of growth drivers beyond its cancer drugs and vaccines. The company is searching for its next blockbuster candidate as its major revenue driver, Keytruda, is expected to lose patent protection by the end of the decade. Merck's non-statin cholesterol drug, enlicitide decanoate, is being tested for the treatment of hyperlipidemia, a condition that causes elevated buildup of fat in the blood vessels and can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Enlicitide works by blocking PCSK9, a protein that plays a crucial role in regulating cholesterol levels, while statins block an enzyme the liver uses to make cholesterol. BMO Capital Markets analyst Evan Seigerman said Merck's drug could potentially provide a "multi-billion dollar opportunity" that expands the PCSK9 market beyond current injectable therapies. The drug showed meaningful reductions in LDL-C cholesterol, commonly referred to as "bad cholesterol", when compared to placebo and other oral non-statin therapies, Merck said. However, Leerink analysts have noted that Astrazeneca's AZD0780 is a "credible threat" as it has shown a 50.7% reduction in LDL-C levels during a trial. Merck has not given the details on LDL-C reduction for enlicitide. The drug was tested in patients who have a history of, or are at risk for a type of heart disease, and were treated with a statin. Shares of Merck were up 2% in premarket trading.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Merck's potential blockbuster cholesterol pill succeeds in late-stage studies
(Reuters) -Merck's oral cholesterol pill succeeded in two late-stage studies, marking a win for the drugmaker as it focuses on the development of growth drivers beyond its cancer drugs and vaccines. The company is searching for its next blockbuster candidate as its major revenue driver, Keytruda, is expected to lose patent protection by the end of the decade. Merck's non-statin cholesterol drug, enlicitide decanoate, is being tested for the treatment of hyperlipidemia, a condition that causes elevated buildup of fat in the blood vessels and can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Enlicitide works by blocking PCSK9, a protein that plays a crucial role in regulating cholesterol levels, while statins block an enzyme the liver uses to make cholesterol. BMO Capital Markets analyst Evan Seigerman said Merck's drug could potentially provide a "multi-billion dollar opportunity" that expands the PCSK9 market beyond current injectable therapies. The drug showed meaningful reductions in LDL-C cholesterol, commonly referred to as "bad cholesterol", when compared to placebo and other oral non-statin therapies, Merck said. However, Leerink analysts have noted that Astrazeneca's AZD0780 is a "credible threat" as it has shown a 50.7% reduction in LDL-C levels during a trial. Merck has not given the details on LDL-C reduction for enlicitide. The drug was tested in patients who have a history of, or are at risk for a type of heart disease, and were treated with a statin. Shares of Merck were up 2% in premarket trading. Verve Therapeutics is also developing a gene therapy to reduce high cholesterol levels, which is expected to be used in combination with other drugs.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
AstraZeneca's pill cuts cholesterol, offers convenient treatment
(NewsNation) — AstraZeneca's experimental pill has shown promise in reducing 'bad' cholesterol, raising expectations for more convenient alternatives in treatment options. AstraZenca is testing a once-daily PCSK9 inhibitor, currently known as AZD0780. After 12 weeks of use alongside standard statin therapy, the pill reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or what is known as 'bad' cholesterol, by 50.7%, according to data presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session in Chicago. Notably, 84% of patients who took the pill achieved the recommended cholesterol level, compared to just 13% of those on statins alone. MAHA: Are Americans paying attention to RFK Jr.'s push to ban food dyes? The pill was well-tolerated by patients in the clinical trial, with side effects comparable to those who took a placebo. High levels of LDL cholesterol are a key risk factor in strokes and heart attacks. AstraZeneca is competing with a similar drug from Merck, which targets the same PCSK9 protein. However, Merck's pill requires fasting for at least eight hours before use, Bloomberg reports, while AstraZeneca's doesn't. AstraZeneca believes its drug is better suited in 'combination' with other medications. AstraZeneca's pill could offer a more convenient and affordable alternative to PCSK9 injections like Amgen's Repatha and Regeneron's Praluent. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
AstraZeneca's AZD0780 cuts LDL-C by 50% in Phase IIb trial
AstraZeneca's AZD0780 has demonstrated significant efficacy in a Phase IIb trial, showing a 50.7% reduction in LDL-C after 12 weeks when added to standard statin therapy. The treatment helped 84% of participants reach the recommended LDL-C target, compared to just 13% with statins alone. The PURSUIT trial sought to compare the placebo to the company's first oral small molecule modulator, designed for the treatment of dyslipidemia, when used alongside lipid-lowering statin therapy, the current standard of care in many cholesterol-related conditions. The primary endpoint of the dose-finding trial sought to measure the effect of different doses of AZD0780 given once daily across differing levels of LDL-C in patients, with similar levels of efficacy observed regardless of whether patients had received moderate or high-intensity statin doses at the time of baseline measurement. The therapy comes in response to research published in the journal Postgraduate Medicine that estimates as much as 70% of patients globally are currently not reaching guideline-recommended LDL-C targets. The results were announced as part of the American College of Cardiology's (ACC) Annual Scientific Expo in Chicago and suggest AZD0780 could provide a new, convenient option for patients struggling to meet cholesterol goals despite existing therapies. The trial's principal investigator Michael J Koren said: 'The PURSUIT Phase IIb trial demonstrates the potential of AZD0780 to provide a much-needed once-daily oral treatment option to deliver greater LDL cholesterol lowering on top of standard of care for millions of patients who remain at risk for serious cardiovascular events, including premature death. 'These results are particularly important because the majority of patients with atherosclerotic disease today do not reach their LDL-C goals, despite the availability of lipid-lowering therapies such as statins and injectable PCSK9 inhibitors.' Research by GlobalData estimates that should AZD0780 make it to market it is predicted to bring in $46m for AstraZeneca, with that figure forecasted to grow to $462m by the end of 2031. GlobalData is the parent company of Clinical Trials Arena. AstraZeneca's executive vice president Sharon Barr said: 'These new data reflect AZD0780's ability to reduce LDL cholesterol in patients who need more options to manage their cholesterol and related risks when standard-of-care therapy is not enough.' Elsewhere at the ACC Annual Expo, Cleerly has announced interim results from a trial, described as the largest-ever cardiovascular phenotype outcomes study, finding that women living with chronic coronary artery disease (CAD) are at higher risk of major adverse coronary events. Meanwhile, Eli Lilly has reported promising Phase II results for lepodisiran, its experimental therapy aimed at reducing lipoprotein(a). "AstraZeneca's AZD0780 cuts LDL-C by 50% in Phase IIb trial" was originally created and published by Clinical Trials Arena, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
