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Icosapent ethyl lowers triglycerides without raising LDL in statin users

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CHICAGO — A subanalysis of the findings of the MARINE study suggests that icosapent ethyl may lower triglycerides and improve other atherogenic parameters without raising LDL, according to data presented at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Session.

Harold Bays, MD, medical director and president of the Louisville Metabolic and Atherosclerosis Research Center, and colleagues assessed the benefits of 4 g/day of icosapent ethyl (Vascepa, Amarin) for a subset of the patients in the MARINE study who were receiving stable statin treatment, with or without ezetimibe (Zetia, Merck). The icosapent ethyl treatment group (n = 20) was compared with a placebo group (n = 18).

Harold Bays

The results showed that compared with placebo, icosapent ethyl reduced triglycerides (–65%; P = .0001), non-HDL (–29%; P = .0094), total cholesterol (–25%; P = .0045), very LDL (–46%; P = .0185) and remnant-like particle cholesterol (–57%; P = .0198). It also reduced apolipoprotein B (–7%; P > .05) and ApoC-III (–23%; P < .05). None of these reductions were associated with increases in LDL (P < .05) compared with placebo.

Amarin stated in a release that, “As with many subgroup analyses, a limitation of this analysis is the small sample size, but the results are nonetheless suggestive of complementary beneficial changes in lipid and lipoprotein parameters from the addition of icosapent ethyl to statin therapy beyond statin therapy alone.” – by Tracey Romero

Reference:

Bays H, et. al. Poster 1191-376. Presented at: American College of Cardiology Scientific Session; April 2-4, 2016; Chicago.

Disclosure: The study was funded by Amarin. Bays reports financial ties with Alnylam, Amarin, Amgen, Ardea, Arisaph, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Catabasis, Eli Lilly, Ionis, Merck, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Omthera, Regeneron and Sanofi Aventis.