Amgen's Evolocumab is Set to Become the Clinical Gold-Standard Among Statin Add-On Therapies for Dyslipidemia

BURLINGTON, Mass., July 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Decision Resources Group finds that Amgen's evolocumab (AMG-145) is set to become the clinical gold-standard among statin add-on therapies used to treat patients with dyslipidemia. The competitive advantages this proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitor has over other statin add-on therapies are due to its highly efficacious LDL-C lowering capabilities and the potential to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Other key findings from the DecisionBase report entitled Dyslipidemia (in statin-treated patients): Do Physicians Have High Hopes for LDL-lowering Therapies in Cardiovascular Outcomes?:

• Prescribing decisions: Surveyed U.S. and European primary care physicians (PCPs) agree that a therapy's ability to reduce the rate of cardiovascular morbidity is the attribute that most influences their decisions regarding prescribing in dyslipidemia (in statin-treated patients).
• Key unmet needs: Reduced rate of cardiovascular morbidity was highlighted by U.S. PCPs as a major unmet need relating to the treatment of dyslipidemia (in statin-treated patients). Interviewed thought leaders note that the emerging PCSK9-inhibitor drug class has the potential to confirm the relationship between decreased LDL-C levels and reduced cardiovascular morbidity, and are therefore excited about future results of the cardiovascular outcomes trials.
• Factors influencing formulary decisions: Surveyed U.S. payers indicate that improvements in the key efficacy attribute of greater reduction in incidence of cardiovascular morbidity will be the chief driver for formulary inclusion.

Comments from Decision Resources Group Research Associate Stefanie Hoffart, M. Sc.:

• "Although thought leaders and the new U.S. blood cholesterol guidelines highlight a shift more towards prevention of cardiovascular events over targeting specific lipid levels, the need for additional lipid-lowering treatment when the risk of cardiovascular disease remains clinically significant is still widely recognized."
• "Of the evaluated emerging therapies for statin-treated patients, the PCSK9 inhibitors carry the highest potential to have a positive impact on cardiovascular outcomes, although it is likely that they will initially only be approved for small niche populations. In addition, the expected high price of these agents will limit access."

Additional Resources:           

Ms. Hoffart has written a blog on the subject, which can be found here.

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SOURCE Decision Resources Group