(RTTNews) - Amarin Corporation plc (AMRN), a pharmaceutical company, on Wednesday presented post hoc analysis data from the global REDUCE-IT trial suggesting a new method for identifying cardiovascular disease using risk-weighted apolipoprotein B levels. The data was presented at the European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) Congress 2026.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for 915,973 deaths annually in the U.S. alone. High low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) can increase the likelihood of cardiovascular events by 35% and can be controlled by administering statin drugs.
The REDUCE-IT trial was conducted across several global sites for 7 years, ending in 2018. The study evaluated the efficacy of VASCEPA (icosapent ethyl), a drug approved by the FDA in 2012 for the regulation of triglyceride levels.
The study enrolled 8,179 patients of hypertriglyceridemia previously treated with statin therapy and concluded that icosapent ethyl decreased risk for cardiovascular disease by reducing LDL-C levels.
Risk-weighted apolipoprotein B (RW-apoB) is calculated by assigning differential weights to lipid components and reflects the relative atherogenicity of the apo-B containing lipoproteins. Results from 3,485 patients in the placebo arm indicated that RW-apoB levels are 30% higher than measured apoB levels in CVD patients. The contribution of apoB to the atherogenicity of LDL particles validates its role in increasing CVD risk.
The company highlighted 2025 updates that included recommendations for high doses of icosapent ethyl for very high-risk CVD patients based on REDUCE-IT results.
AMRN closed Wednesday at $14.52, up 1.54%.
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