A pooled analysis from four phase 3 trial with bempedoic acid, presented at ADA’s 80th Scientific Sessions by Lawrence Leiter (University of Toronto, ON, Canada) demonstrated that treatment with bempedoic acid resulted in significant lowering of LDL-c compared to placebo across all glycemic status subgroups (diabetes, prediabetes and normoglycemia). In addition, total cholesterol, non-HDL-c, ApoB and hsCRP were significantly reduced with bempedoic acid compared to placebo across all subgroups.

Treatment with bempedoic acid did not worsen measurements of glycemic control or increase risk of new-onset diabetes compared to placebo. In diabetes patients, bempedoic acid reduced HbA1c by 0.19% compared to placebo at 12 weeks (P<0.001). Safety profile of bempedoic acid was similar across all glycemic status subgroups.

Bempedoic acid is a first-in-class ATP citrate lyase (ACL) inhibitor that lowers LDL-c by reducing cholesterol biosynthesis and upregulating LDL receptors. The phase 3 CLEAR Wisdom trial demonstrated a 17.4% placebo-corrected difference in LDL-c with bempedoic acid in high CV risk patients who were on maximally tolerated statins and/or other lipid-modifying therapies. Bempedoic acid was approved by the FDA in February 2020 and in April 2020 by the European Commission .

Source: press release Esperion, June 14, 2020