Final Real-World Results from MILOS German Cohort Demonstrate Strong Increase in LDL-C Goal Achievement With Addition of Bempedoic Acid

For EU media only

Daiichi Sankyo Europe, (hereafter, Daiichi Sankyo) today announced final 2-year follow-up data from the German cohort of the multinational, European observational MILOS study.¹ The study evaluated the real-world use of bempedoic acid, marketed as NILEMDO^®▼and its FDC with ezetimibe, NUSTENDI^®▼, in patients with primary hypercholesterolaemia or mixed dyslipidaemia.

The results, presented in Hamburg, Germany at DGK Hertztage 2024, demonstrated the effectiveness and safety profile of bempedoic acid, both alone and in combination with other lipid-lowering therapies (LLTs) in clinical practice.¹ Raised LDL-C is a key modifiable contributor to risk of major cardiovascular events, with studies showing that every 1 mmol/L reduction in LDL-C is associated with a 22% reduction in major cardiovascular events after one year.^5,6

The German cohort of MILOS study comprising 973 patients from 125 sites in Germany, is one of the most comprehensive assessments of bempedoic acid in a real-world clinical setting to-date in Germany.¹ Patients were followed-up for two years, with LDL-C levels assessed at pre-treatment, one year (1Y) and two years (2Y). Overall, 638 of 973 patients (65.6%) completed 2Y follow up, with LDL-C values at pre-treatment, 1Y and 2Y available for 451 patients. In these 451 patients, a mean reduction of LDL-C levels from 3.1 mmol/L (121.4 mg/dL) at pre-treatment, to 2.0 mmol/L (77.2 mg/dL) was observed, representing an average relative reduction of 30.3% in the overall population.¹

Additionally, the percentage of patients reaching their LDL-C goals increased from 4.9% at pre-treatment to 35.3% at the 2Y follow-up – an approximately 7-fold increase.¹ The proportions of high-risk and very high-risk patients reaching LDL-C goals increased from 5.6% to 32.5%, and 3.6% to 35.2%, respectively.¹

Overall, more than 80% of patients received bempedoic acid in combination with other LLTs at pre-treatment and 2Y, including statins and ezetimibe. The safety profile of bempedoic acid in this real-world population was assessed at 1Y and 2Y and was consistent with that observed in the CLEAR clinical trial programme. ^2,3,4

“By significantly lowering LDL-C levels toward guideline goals, we are taking a vital step in reducing the risk of cardiovascular events, which can have a profound impact on a person’s long-term health and quality of life,” saidProfessor Ioanna Gouni-Berthold, University of Cologne, Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Preventive Medicine andExecutive Board Member of the International Atherosclerosis Society.

“Cardiovascular disease remains Europe’s leading cause of death, yet the majority of premature CV events are preventable,”^7,8said Dr. Stefan Seyfried, Vice President Medical Affairs, Specialty Medicines, at Daiichi Sankyo Europe GmbH. “The findings from this cohort reinforce the benefit provided by bempedoic acid for reducing LDL-C levels. Our long-term goal is to empower the medical community with real-world insights to improve CVD prevention and, ultimately, improve patient care.”

-ENDS-

About MILOS

MILOS (NCT04579367) is an ongoing, multinational, European observational study in adult patients diagnosed with primary hypercholesterolaemia or mixed dyslipidaemia. The aim is to evaluate the real-world use of bempedoic acid and bempedoic plus ezetimibe FDC. Patients in the German cohort were recruited from 125 sites between January 2021 and January 2022 and were followed up for 2 years after baseline measurements.¹ Change in LDL-C levels and the proportion of patients achieving LDL-C goal were assessed in patients at pre-treatment, 1Y and 2Y visits. Analyses were stratified by investigator-assessed CV risk, based on the ESC/EAS dyslipidaemia guidelines.¹ Beyond Germany, MILOS has sites in Austria, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and the UK.⁹

About Bempedoic Acid and its Fixed-Dose Combination with Ezetimibe

Bempedoic acid (NILEMDO^®) is a first-in-class, oral, once-daily treatment to lower cholesterol, and can be combined with other oral treatments to help lower cholesterol even further.¹⁰

Bempedoic acid inhibits ATP citrate lyase (ACL), an enzyme which is involved in the production of cholesterol in the liver.¹⁰ Bempedoic acid acts on the well-known cholesterol synthesis pathway, upstream of the statin target in the liver, which allows additional LDL-C lowering when added to statin or other LDL-C-lowering therapies.¹¹ Bempedoic acid is not activated in skeletal muscle.¹⁰

Bempedoic acid is indicated in adults with primary hypercholesterolaemia (heterozygous familial and nonfamilial) or mixed dyslipidaemia, as an adjunct to diet:¹⁰

• in combination with a statin or statin with other lipid-lowering therapies in patients unable to reach LDL-C goals with the maximum tolerated dose of a statin or,¹⁰
• alone or in combination with other lipid-lowering therapies in patients who are statin-intolerant, or for whom a statin is contraindicated.¹⁰

Bempedoic acid is indicated in adults with established or at high risk for atherosclerotic CV disease to reduce CV risk by lowering LDL-C levels, as an adjunct to correction of other risk factors:¹⁰

• in patients on a maximum tolerated dose of statin with or without ezetimibe or,¹⁰
• alone or in combination with ezetimibe in patients who are statin-intolerant, or for whom a statin in contraindicated.¹⁰

The bempedoic acid / ezetimibe FDC (NUSTENDI^®) combines two complementary ways of reducing cholesterol in a once-daily tablet.

Bempedoic acid / ezetimibe FDC is indicated in adults with primary hypercholesterolaemia (heterozygous familial and nonfamilial) or mixed dyslipidaemia, as an adjunct to diet:¹²

• in combination with a statin in patients unable to reach LDL-C goals with the maximum tolerated dose of a statin in addition to ezetimibe,¹²
• alone in patients who are either statin-intolerant or for whom a statin is contraindicated, and are unable to reach LDL-C goals with ezetimibe alone,¹²
• in patients already being treated with the combination of bempedoic acid and ezetimibe as separate tablets with or without statin.¹²

Bempedoic acid / ezetimibe FDC is indicated in adults with established or at high risk for atherosclerotic CV disease to reduce CV risk by lowering LDL-C levels, as an adjunct to correction of other risk factors:¹²

• in patients on a maximum tolerated dose of statin and not adequately controlled with additional ezetimibe treatment or,¹²
• in patients who are either statin-intolerant, or for whom a statin in contraindicated, and not adequately controlled with ezetimibe treatment or,¹²
• in patients already being treated with the combination of bempedoic acid and ezetimibe as separate tablets.¹²

Daiichi Sankyo Europe has licensed exclusive commercialisation rights to bempedoic acid and its FDC with ezetimibe (marketed as NILEMDO^®and NUSTENDI^®) in the European Economic Area, UK, Turkey and Switzerland from Esperion and is the full Marketing Authorisation Holder in these territories.

About Daiichi Sankyo

Daiichi Sankyo is an innovative global healthcare company contributing to the sustainable development of society that discovers, develops, and delivers new standards of care to enrich the quality of life around the world. With more than 120 years of experience, Daiichi Sankyo leverages its world-class science and technology to create new modalities and innovative medicines for people with cancer, cardiovascular, and other diseases with high unmet medical need.

For more information, please visit https://www.daiichi-sankyo.eu/

▼ This medicinal product is subject to additional monitoring.

References

1 DGK Hertztage 2024 Abstract. Real-world effectiveness and safety of bempedoic acid in Europe: final 2-year results from the MILOS German cohort. Gouni-Berthold, I et al.

2 Nissen SE, et al. Bempedoic Acid and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Statin-Intolerant Patients. N Engl J Med. 2023;388:1353–64

3 Ray KK, et al. Safety and Efficacy of Bempedoic Acid to Reduce LDL Cholesterol. N Engl J Med. 2019; 380:1022–32

4 Ballantyne CM, et al. Bempedoic acid plus ezetimibe fixed-dose combination in patients with hypercholesterolemia and high CVD risk treated with maximally tolerated statin therapy. Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2020; 27(6): 593–603

5 Cholesterol Treatment Trialists’ (CTT) Collaboration. Efficacy and safety of more intensive lowering of LDL cholesterol: a meta-analysis of data from 170 000 participants in 26 randomised trials. Lancet. 2010. 376(9753): 1670–1681

6 NHS England. Improving lipid management to reduce cardiovascular disease and save lives. Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/improving-lipid-management-to-reduce-cardiovascular-disease-and-save-lives/#:~:text=Raised%20LDL%20cholesterol%20is%20one,vascular%20events%20after%201%20year. Last accessed September 2024.

7 Eurostat. (2023) Causes of death statistics. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Causes_of_death_statistics#Major_causes_of_death_in_the_EU_in_2020. Last accessed September 2024.

8 World Heart Federation. Prevention. Available at: https://world-heart-federation.org/what-we-do/prevention/#:~:text=An%20estimated%2080%25%20of%20cardiovascular,and%20“knowing%20your%20numbers”. Last accessed September 2024

9 ClinicalTrials.gov. Treatment With Bempedoic Acid and/or Its Fixed-dose Combination With Ezetimibe in Primary Hypercholesterolemia or Mixed Dyslipidemia (MILOS). Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04579367#contacts-and-locations. Last accessed September 2024.

10 European Medicines Agency. Nilemdo – Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/nilemdo-epar-product-information_en.pdf. Last accessed September 2024.

11 Pinkosky, S.L., et al. Liver-specific ATP-citrate lyase inhibition by bempedoic acid decreases LDL-C and attenuates atherosclerosis. Nat Commun. 2016. 7: 13457.

12 European Medicines Agency. Nustendi –Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/nustendi-epar-product-information_en.pdf. Last accessed September 2024

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