Daily statins could be replaced by gene therapy that lowers cholesterol within a few years with a single dose, scientists claim
- The use of statins could be replaced ‘within ten years’ by the gene-manipulating drug Verve-101
- Drug alters DNA in cholesterol-regulating cells to stop production
- Nine have been successfully treated by Verve-101 to date and studies will continue to expand
Daily statins taken by millions of people to ward off heart attacks and strokes could be replaced by a gene-editing injection ‘within a decade’, scientists claim.
The remarkable new drug manipulates the DNA in cholesterol-regulating cells to stop production of the substance after a single dose.
It was unveiled yesterday at the American Heart Association’s annual Scientific Sessions in Philadelphia.
Trial results showed that the single injection reduced ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol by more than 50 percent.
Los Angeles-based cardiologist Professor Karol Watson predicted ‘a brave new world’ in heart treatment: ‘This study showed that [gene] With editing you can sustainably lower LDL.’
Daily use of statins could be a thing of the past thanks to a revolutionary new gene editing drug
Experts behind the treatment, called Verve-101, believe the effect is long-lasting and possibly permanent.
They admit that the research is still in its early stages and say their findings open up the possibility that high cholesterol can be effectively ‘cured’ or prevented from becoming a problem in the first place.
“This is a potential game changer in the treatment of heart disease,” says Dr. Sekar Kathiresan, one of the cardiologists behind Verve-101.
He added: ‘We have shown that a one-off therapy could be the future.’
So far, nine patients with a genetic condition called familial hypercholesterolemia – which causes sky-high LDL levels that trigger heart attacks – have been successfully treated.
The studies will soon be expanded to broader groups, including people with existing heart disease. “We hope the treatment will be available by the end of the decade,” Dr Kathiresan added.
The drug is based on CRISPR technology, which can delete and rewrite parts of the DNA in cells.
Unlike other CRISPR-based treatments, which can cost more than £1 million per dose, Verve-101 is possible to mass-produce, Dr Kathiresan added.
Nine patients have been successfully treated so far, and the studies will soon be expanded to larger groups
He said: ‘We expect it will cost no more than other one-off heart procedures such as stent or heart bypass surgery.’
Statins are one of the most prescribed medicines in Britain, with around eight million adults taking them, and more than 71 million prescriptions for statins are given each year.
The drugs can be remarkably effective, reducing the risk of heart attack by up to 50 percent and the risk of stroke by a third – at a cost of just £15 per patient per year.
Professor Watson said the biggest concern about the new treatment was safety: ‘If you’re editing the human genome that’s a big problem, so we need to make sure it’s very safe.’
Dr. Andrew Bellinger, chief scientific and medical officer at Verve Therapeutics, said large-scale trials involving thousands of heart disease patients are planned to start in 2025.