Eli Lilly announced results from a Phase 2 trial of muvalapin, an experimental drug aimed at lowering lipoprotein(a), a genetically inherited form of cholesterol linked to heart disease.
The study, published in JAMA, showed that muvalapin lowered levels by up to 85.8% of adults with elevated levels of the lipid. In the trial, participants who received the highest dose of muvalapin showed the most significant reduction in lipoprotein(a) levels, compared to a placebo.
The drug was administered once daily for 12 weeks, with reductions in lipoprotein(a) observed across all three tested doses. The reduction ranged from 47.6% at the lowest dose to 85.5% at the highest.
Secondary endpoints of the trial also showed that muvalapin lowered apolipoprotein B, a protein associated with heart disease, at all tested doses. The drug's safety profile was consistent with the placebo, with few treatment-related side effects.