Health & Science

What the scientists are saying...

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A drug to “silence” cholesterol

A new “gene-silencing” drug has been found to reduce cholesterol levels by more than 50% in a clinical trial. Based on a technique known as RNA interference, the drug effectively “switches off” the gene responsible for elevating cholesterol levels. Delivered as an injection, the treatment, inclisiran, could be given twice yearly, with or without statins, depending on the patient’s need, to reduce their risk of heart attack or stroke. For the phase 2 trial, at Imperial College London, researchers gave 497 patients with high cholesterol either inclisiran, at varying doses, or a placebo. Most of the patients were already taking statins. A month after receiving a single treatment of inclisiran, patients’ levels of the harmful low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol were down by up to 51%. After six months, they were down by up to 42%. By contrast, patients in the control group were showing slightly elevated cholesterol levels. The results were even better for those who had two doses over three months: their LDL levels fell by as much as 53% after six months. Along with its effectiveness, the minimal dosing required sets the treatment apart: rather than having to take a pill daily, patients could visit their doctor twice a year for an injection. However, much more research is needed before it can come on the market.

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