Amgen’s PCSK9 inhibitor Repatha (evolocumab) was safe and effective at lowering harmful LDL cholesterol among people with HIV in a recent randomized, double-blind clinical trial, Healio reports.

Findings from the BEIJERINCK trial were presented at the virtual American College of Cardiology Scientific Session and published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

The study randomized 464 people with HIV to receive a placebo or 420 milligrams of Repatha once per month.

The participants had an average age of 56 years old. Eighty-three percent were men, and 36% had atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, in which plaque builds up on the inner walls of the arteries.

After 24 weeks of treatment, those who received Repatha experienced a 56% reduction in LDL cholesterol, compared with those who received the placebo. Seventy-three percent of those in the Repatha group and just 0.7% of those in the placebo group experienced an LDL reduction of at least 50%. A respective 73% and 7.9% in each group reached an LDL level of less than 70 mg per deciliter.

Study participants in the Repatha group also experienced a reduction in their atherogenic lipid levels, meaning those that give rise to plaque buildup, including non-HDL, Lp(a) and ApoB.

A similar proportion of those in the Repatha and placebo groups—68% and 62%, respectively—experienced adverse health events during the 24-week treatment period. A respective 5.1% and 3.3% experienced serious adverse events.

None of the participants experienced a heart attack or ischemic stroke (a blockage of blood to the brain) or required coronary revascularization (a surgical procedure to repair ruptured arteries).

To read the Healio article, click here.

To read the study abstract, click here.