Cholesterol drug meets goals in 2 studies but causes safety concerns
Two Phase III trials found that Isis Pharmaceuticals and Genzyme's mipomersen significantly reduced the level of "bad" LDL cholesterol in more patients with severe hypercholesterolemia than in those who received a placebo.
Both studies of the drug, mipomersen, met their main effectiveness goals, according to the data released on Wednesday. However, at least 20 percent of patients taking the drug in each trial dropped out because of health problems potentially related to taking the drug.
The companies said again that they would seek regulatory approval for the drug in the first half of next year. Mipomersen is an important experimental drug for Isis, whose antisense technology is the basis for the product, and larger partner Genzyme, which is the target of a takeover bid by France's Sanofi-Aventis.
Source: Reuters
