Amgen Phase 3 Repatha data shows reduced need for apheresis

Amgen’s recent Phase 3 study of the effects of Repatha on patients who receive apheresis for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) showed a promising reduction in the need for the recurring procedure.
In a process similar to dialysis, apheresis helps patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) who have LDL-C levels over 70mg/dL and who cannot control those levels through treatment with statins or other therapies. Using a special machine, apheresis removes LDL-C from patients’ plasma in a process that can take one to three hours and is typically repeated once a week or once every two weeks.
The new data from Amgen’s study shows that treating those patients with Repatha can significantly reduce their need for LDL-C apheresis. The study also showed that Repatha achieved secondary endpoints of percent change in LDL-C, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) and the total cholesterol to HDL-C ratio, when comparing baseline levels to those after four weeks of treatment.
"Patients who require apheresis to help control their LDL-C have limited treatment options and face the daunting challenge of frequent, invasive and costly procedures," Amgen Executive Vice President Dr. Sean Harper said. "These positive data suggest patients may have an alternative option to help them manage their cholesterol."