BACKGROUNDPatients who have had an acute coronary syndrome are at high risk for recurrent ischemic cardiovascular events. We sought to determine whether alirocumab, a human monoclonal antibody to proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9), would improve cardiovascular outcomes after an acute coronary syndrome in patients receiving high-intensity statin therapy. METHODSWe conducted a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 18,924 patients who had an acute coronary syndrome 1 to 12 months earlier, had a low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level of at least 70 mg per deciliter (1.8 mmol per liter), a non−highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol level of at least 100 mg per deciliter (2.6 mmol per liter), or an apolipoprotein B level of at least 80 mg per deciliter, and were receiving statin therapy at a high-intensity dose or at the maximum tolerated dose. Patients were randomly assigned to receive alirocumab subcutaneously at a dose of 75 mg (9462 patients) or matching placebo (9462 patients) every 2 weeks. The dose of alirocumab was adjusted under blinded conditions to target an LDL cholesterol level of 25 to 50 mg per deciliter (0.6 to 1.3 mmol per liter). The primary end point was a composite of death from coronary heart disease, nonfatal myocardial infarction, fatal or nonfatal ischemic stroke, or unstable angina requiring hospitalization. RESULTSThe median duration of follow-up was 2.8 years. A composite primary end-point event occurred in 903 patients (9.5%) in the alirocumab group and in 1052 patients (11.1%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.78 to 0.93; P<0.001). A total of 334 patients (3.5%) in the alirocumab group and 392 patients (4.1%) in the placebo group died (hazard ratio, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.73 to 0.98). The absolute benefit of alirocumab with respect to the composite primary end point was greater among patients who had a baseline LDL cholesterol level of 100 mg or more per deciliter than among patients who had a lower baseline level. The incidence of adverse events was similar in the two groups, with the exception of local injection-site reactions (3.8% in the alirocumab group vs. 2.1% in the placebo group). CONCLUSIONSAmong patients who had a previous acute coronary syndrome and who were receiving highintensity statin therapy, the risk of recurrent ischemic cardiovascular events was lower among those who received alirocumab than among those who received placebo. (Funded by Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals; ODYSSEY OUTCOMES ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01663402.

BACKGROUND Loss-of-function variants in the angiopoietin-like 3 gene (ANGPTL3) have been associated with decreased plasma levels of triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. It is not known whether such variants or therapeutic antagonism of ANGPTL3 are associated with a reduced risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. METHODS We sequenced the exons of ANGPTL3 in 58,335 participants in the DiscovEHR human genetics study. We performed tests of association for loss-of-function variants in ANGPTL3 with lipid levels and with coronary artery disease in 13,102 case patients and 40,430 controls from the DiscovEHR study, with follow-up studies involving 23,317 case patients and 107,166 controls from four population studies. We also tested the effects of a human monoclonal antibody, evinacumab, against Angptl3 in dyslipidemic mice and against ANGPTL3 in healthy human volunteers with elevated levels of triglycerides or LDL cholesterol. RESULTS In the DiscovEHR study, participants with heterozygous loss-of-function variants in ANGPTL3 had significantly lower serum levels of triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol than participants without these variants. Loss-of-function variants were found in 0.33% of case patients with coronary artery disease and in 0.45% of controls (adjusted odds ratio, 0.59; 95% confidence interval, 0.41 to 0.85; P = 0.004). These results were confirmed in the follow-up studies. In dyslipidemic mice, inhibition of Angptl3 with evinacumab resulted in a greater decrease in atherosclerotic lesion area and necrotic content than a control antibody. In humans, evinacumab caused a dose-dependent placebo-adjusted reduction in fasting triglyceride levels of up to 76% and LDL cholesterol levels of up to 23%. CONCLUSIONS Genetic and therapeutic antagonism of ANGPTL3 in humans and of Angptl3 in mice was associated with decreased levels of all three major lipid fractions and decreased odds of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. (Funded by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01749878.)

Background Patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) respond inadequately to existing drugs. We conducted a phase 3 study to assess the efficacy and safety of the microsomal triglyceride transfer protein inhibitor lomitapide in adults with HoFH. Methods Twenty-nine subjects enrolled into a single-arm, open-label study and maintained current lipid lowering therapy from six weeks before baseline through at least week 26. Lomitapide dose was escalated based on safety and tolerability from 5 mg to a maximum of 60 mg/day. The primary endpoint was mean percent change from baseline in LDL-C at week 26, after which patients remained on lomitapide through week 78 for safety assessment. Findings Twenty-three subjects completed weeks 26 and 78. The median dose of lomitapide was 40 mg/day. LDL-C was reduced by 50% from baseline at week 26 (4·3 ± 2·5 mmol/L vs. 8·7 ± 2·9 mmol/L, p<0.0001). Eight subjects achieved LDL-C <2·6 mmol/L at this time point. LDL-C was reduced by 44% at week 56 and 38% at week 78 (p<0.0001 for both). Gastrointestinal symptoms were the most common adverse event. Four patients had aminotransaminase > 5× ULN that resolved after dose reduction or temporary interruption of lomitapide. No subject permanently discontinued treatment due to liver abnormalities. Liver fat content assessed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMRS; n=20) was 1·0 ± 1·3 % at baseline, 8·6 ± 8·1% at week 26 and remained stable up to week 78 (8·3± 5·3%). Interpretation These data demonstrate that lomitapide had a robust and durable efficacy in lowering LDL-C in patients with HoFH with an acceptable safety and tolerability profile.

For patients with coronary artery disease, the reduced rate of progression of atherosclerosis associated with intensive statin treatment, as compared with moderate statin treatment, is significantly related to greater reductions in the levels of both atherogenic lipoproteins and CRP.

MD; for the Myocardial Ischemia Reduction with Aggressive Cholesterol Lowering (MIRACL) Study InvestigatorsBackground-Inflammation promotes acute coronary syndromes and ensuing clinical complications. Although statins reduce inflammatory markers in asymptomatic adults or in patients with stable angina, the effect of statins on the markedly heightened inflammation in patients with acute coronary syndromes is unknown. Methods and Results-We measured C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A (SAA), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) in 2402 subjects enrolled the Myocardial Ischemia Reduction with Aggressive Cholesterol Lowering (MIRACL) study. Subjects with unstable angina or non-Q-wave myocardial infarction were randomized to atorvastatin 80 mg/d or placebo within 24 to 96 hours of hospital admission and treated for 16 weeks. The effect of treatment on inflammatory markers was assessed by ANCOVA after adjustment for presenting syndrome, country, and initial level of marker. All 3 markers were markedly elevated at randomization and declined over the 16 weeks in both treatment groups. Compared with placebo, atorvastatin significantly reduced CRP, Ϫ83% (95% CI, Ϫ84%, Ϫ81%) versus Ϫ74% (95% CI, Ϫ75%, Ϫ71%) (PϽ0.0001) and SAA, Ϫ80% (95% CI, Ϫ82%, Ϫ78%) versus Ϫ77% (Ϫ79%, Ϫ75%) (Pϭ0.0006) but not IL-6, Ϫ55% (95% CI, Ϫ57%, Ϫ53%) versus Ϫ53% (95% CI, Ϫ55%, Ϫ51%) (Pϭ0.3). Reductions in CRP and SAA were observed in patients with unstable angina and non-Q-wave myocardial infarction, with initial LDL cholesterol Ͻ3.2 or Ն3.2 mmol/L (125 mg/dL), age Ն65 or Ͻ65 years, and in men and women. By 16 weeks, CRP was 34% lower with atorvastatin than with placebo. Conclusions-High-dose atorvastatin potentiated the decline in inflammation in patients with acute coronary syndromes.This supports the value of early statin therapy in these patients.