European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress 2024

At the ESC 2024 Congress (30 August-2 September, London, UK, and online), leading lipid specialists discussed recent evidence about the contribution of elevated triglycerides to risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and reported latest data from clinical trials of TG-lowering medicines, including progress with novel agents that reduce atherogenic lipoproteins by targeting either apoC3 or ANGPTL3. […]

Targeting TG remains a promising approach for reducing cardiovascular (CV) risk, but growing evidence suggests that TG-lowering agents need to reduce apoB-containing proteins as well as TG to have beneficial effects on residual risk, Dr Giovanna Liuzzo (IRCCS Foundation Agostino Gemelli University Hospital, Rome, Italy) told delegates during her presentation.

The small interfering RNA targeted to apoCIII, plozasiran, significantly reduces triglyceride levels and the incidence of acute pancreatitis in patients with persistent chylomicronaemia, according to results of the Phase 3 PALISADE trial presented at ESC 2024 and published simultaneously in The New England Journal of Medicine.1,2

Targeting TG levels after a first or recurrent acute coronary syndrome (ACS) event may have beneficial effects on subsequent clinical outcomes, and approximately 20% of patients may benefit from eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) therapy.

An interim analysis of a Phase 3 open label study of the safety and pharmacokinetics of olezarsen in patients with familial chylomicronaemia syndrome (FCS) previously treated with volanesorsen has provided reassuring results.

The reduction in triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRL) seen in a Phase 2 study with retatrutide, the triple GIP, GLP-1, and glucagon receptor agonist in development in patients with type 2 diabetes, may have been due to concurrent reduction in ANGPTL3/8 levels.