A recent study has revealed an innovative gene therapy drug capable of significantly lowering bad cholesterol in just one dose, opening the door to a different treatment option than traditional daily medications.
In a US clinical trial, the results of which were published by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, conducted on 35 people suffering from a severe genetic form of high cholesterol or who had previously suffered early heart attacks, the participants received an experimental gene therapy known as VERVE-102, given as a single intravenous dose.
The results showed that the highest dose of the treatment led to a 62% reduction in LDL cholesterol, with the decrease continuing throughout an 18-month follow-up period. This type of cholesterol is responsible for the buildup of fatty plaques in the arteries, increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Professor Riaz Patel, one of the study's participants, said the results are still in their early stages, but represent an important step towards developing a long-term and effective treatment for lowering cholesterol.
He added that this technology could help achieve cholesterol levels similar to those provided by current treatments, but with only one dose, which could change the way patients are treated in the future.
This treatment works by disabling a key gene in the liver responsible for producing harmful cholesterol, thus directly reducing its formation.
In a separate trial, one participant, Daniel Cullinan, 41, said he suffered from a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol, which was discovered after his father's early death, and that conventional treatments had failed to lower his levels. He added that his participation in the trial helped lower his cholesterol and improve his overall health.
The results of the first phase of the study were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the European Atherosclerosis Society conference in Athens.
