Amgen presented Phase 3 clinical trial results demonstrating the efficacy of Repatha (evolocumab) in reducing cardiovascular risk among people with high-risk diabetes at the American Diabetes Association 86th Scientific Sessions. Data from the VESALIUS-CV trial subgroup analysis of 6,002 patients with high-risk diabetes—defined as those with microvascular disease, insulin use, or diabetic duration of 10 years or more with elevated LDL-C (“bad” cholesterol)—showed that Repatha reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events by 29% when added to statins or other LDL-C-lowering therapies. The drug also reduced a broader endpoint including ischemia-driven revascularization by 21%. Patients receiving Repatha achieved a median LDL-C level of 45 mg/dL compared with 106 mg/dL in the placebo group.
The trial included approximately one-third of patients on sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and one-fifth on glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists at some point during the study. Similar benefits were observed regardless of concurrent use of these therapies, underscoring the importance of managing multiple cardiovascular risk factors in people with high-risk diabetes.
Real-world adherence challenges
Amgen presented multiple real-world evidence studies highlighting treatment persistence challenges with GLP-1 therapies for both diabetes and obesity management. While GLP-1 medications demonstrate meaningful improvements in glycemic control and body weight in clinical trials, real-world data show that many patients discontinue treatment within the first year. This reduced adherence limits patients’ ability to achieve guideline-recommended HbA1c and weight goals, resulting in modest outcomes compared to clinical trial results. These findings underscores a pressing need for improved care strategies to help patients maintain treatment continuity and realize the full benefits of available medications for diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.columbiagorgenews.com/online_features/press_releases/amgen-presents-new-data-across-its-cardiometabolic-portfolio-at-american-diabetes-association-86th-scientific-sessions/article_cc998665-bf2c-578d-ad39-f8cad8bba78d.html