Lipoprotein Foundation Highlights ACC Research Reinforcing The Significance Of Lp(A) As A Genetic Risk Factor For Cardiovascular Disease

Issues Infographic to Raise Awareness that a Simple Blood Test Could be the First Step in Preventing up to 120,000 Cardiovascular Events Every Year

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Lipoprotein(a) Foundation is highlighting a number of studies reinforcing the significance of Lipoprotein(a), also known as Lp(a), as an independent, genetic risk factor for early cardiovascular disease being presented at the upcoming ACC.16, the 65^th Annual Scientific Session & Expo of the American College of Cardiology (ACC), April 2-4, 2016 in Chicago. The studies bolster a growing body of research that demonstrate the impact of elevated Lipoprotein(a) and present initial results of therapies under development to reduce Lp(a). The Foundation will be exhibiting at ACC.16 (Booth #22104).

“JCL Roundtable: Should we treat elevations in Lp(a)?”

A study recently published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) shows that the current cholesterol guidelines miss 8% of people who have a cardiovascular event whose only risk factor is high Lp(a).¹ One in 5 people globally have inherited high Lp(a) - 63 million in the U.S.⁴ and Lp(a) is currently the strongest monogenetic risk factor for coronary heart disease and aortic stenosis.² Lp(a) concentrations can be measured by a simple blood test, but it is not included in most standard lipid panel tests that check cholesterol levels.¹ The Lipoprotein(a) Foundation recently issued an Infographic to raise awareness that a simple blood test could be the first step in preventing up to 120,000 cardiovascular events every year.

The Lipoprotein(a) Foundation also announced that four members of its Scientific Advisory Board will be featured in the April issue of the Journal of Clinical Lipidology (DOI: 10.1016/j.jacl.2016.02.012) in the “JCL Roundtable: Should we treat elevations in Lp(a)?” JCL Roundtable participants include Dr. Patrick Moriarty from the University of Kansas, Dr. Alan Remaley from the National Institutes of Health and Dr. Sotirios Tsimikas from the University of California San Diego and W. Virgil Brown, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Clinical Lipidology and Professor Emeritus, Emory University School of Medicine.

There are more than a dozen studies being presented at ACC that reinforce the significance of Lipoprotein(a) as an independent, genetic risk factor for early cardiovascular disease. The following were highlighted by the Lipoprotein(a) Foundation:

• “Potent Antisense Oligonucleotides to Apo(a) Normalize Plasma Lp(a) Levels in the Majority of People With Elevated Lp(a): Results of ISIS-APO(a)Rx Phase 2 and ISIS-APO(a)-LRx Phase 1 Trials,” (1124M-03)
  Apr. 2, 2016, 10:15 - 10:25 AM
  Nick Viney, Santica Marcovina, Shuting Xia, Richard Geary, Joseph Witztum, Sotirios Tsimikas, Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Carlsbad, Calif., University of California, San Diego, Calif.

• Lipoprotein(a) Is Associated With Incident Heart Failure Hospitalization: ARIC Study (1213M-03)
  Apr. 3, 2016, 12:45 - 12:55 PM
  Anandita Agarwala, Yashashwi Pokharel, Salim Virani, Wensheng Sun, Chiadi Ndumele, Eyal Shahar, Gerardo Heiss, Eric Boerwinkle, Suma Konety, Ron Hoogeveen, Christie Ballantyne, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.

• Defining the Mechanism of Lp(a) Lowering by Alirocumab in Transgenic Mouse Models (1278M-03)
  Apr. 4, 2016, 10:00 - 10:10 AM
  Calvin Yeang, Phuong Miu, Simone Green, Xiaohong Yang, Ming Yow Hung, Joseph Witztum, Sotirios Tsimikas, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, Calif.

• Lipoprotein(a) - Can (and Should) We Now Treat the “Untreatable”? (771-11)
  Apr. 4, 2016, 2:45 - 3:00 PM
  Sotirios Tsimikas, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, Calif.

“The mission of the Lipoprotein(a) Foundation is to empower patients and prevent cardiovascular events due to high Lipoprotein(a) through proper testing and diagnosis. We are pleased to see that the ACC is featuring a number of key research studies that continue to demonstrate the strong link between elevated Lp(a) and risk, reinforcing the need for increased awareness and routine testing, and we are encouraged by the initial results of therapies under development and hope that this leads to a specific treatment for elevated Lipoprotein(a) soon,” said Sandra Revill Tremulis, founder of Lipoprotein(a) Foundation.

About The Lipoprotein(a) Foundation

Because approximately 63 million Americans have high Lipoprotein(a) and are at risk of premature cardiovascular disease, the vision for the foundation is: To live in a world where high Lipoprotein(a) is routinely diagnosed, treated and family screened.

The mission is to prevent cardiovascular events due to high Lipoprotein(a) by diagnosing this inherited risk for cardiovascular disease; educating and empowering patients and saving lives. Our goal is to save lives by increasing awareness, advocating for routine testing, and supporting research that will lead to a specific treatment for elevated Lipoprotein(a). Based in San Carlos, California, the Lipoprotein(a) Foundation is a patient-founded, 501(c)3 non-profit organization. For more information go to: www.lipoproteinafoundation.org

1 Mortensen M, MD, PHD, Afzal S, MD, PHD et al. Primary Prevention with Statins. ACC/AHA Risk-Based Approach Versus Trial-Based Approaches to Guide Statin Therapy. Guide Statin Therapy. JACC.

2 CARDIoGRAMplusC4D Consortium, Deloukas P et al. Large-scale association analysis identifies new risk loci for coronary artery disease. Nat Genet. 2013 Jan;45(1):25-33

3 Thanassoulis G. et al. Genetic Associations with Valvular calcification and aortic stenosis. N Engl J Med. 2013 Feb 7;368(6):503-12. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1109034

4 Nordestgaard F., Chapman J, et al. Lipoprotein(a) as a cardiovascular risk factor current status. European Heart J. 2010;31,2844-2853

5 CDC reference: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6321a3.htm