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. 2017 Feb 26;9(2):76–91. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v9.i2.76

Table 2.

Summary of important phase III PROFICIO (Program to Reduce LDL-C and Cardiovascular Outcomes Following Inhibition of PCSK9 In Different Populations) trials with Evolocumab

Name of trial Ref. Allocation and blinding No. of patients Inclusion criteria Study arms (with dosing) Primary end point Results
LAPLACE-2 (NCT01763866) Robinson et al[75]; Randomized double blinded trial 1896 Individuals with LDL > 150 mg/dL (not on statin); or LDL > 100 mg/dL (on non-intensive statin); or LDL ≥ 80 mg/dL (with intensive statin therapy) Initially randomized to daily moderate or high intensity atorvastatin for 4 wk. Patients were again randomized to Evolocumab (sc) vs ezetimibe vs placebo Percentage change in calculated LDL cholesterol level from baseline to week 12 Evolocumab q2w and qmonthly: 63% to 75% reduction in LDL vs placebo Ezetimibe 19% to 32% reduction in LDL vs placebo
YUKAWA-2 (NCT01953328) Kiyosue et al[76]; Randomized double blinded 404 Japanese patients with LDL > 70 on stable dose statins for > 4 wk and high cardiovascular risk Initially randomized to daily atorvastatin of 5 mg or 20 mg for 4 wk. They were further randomized to Evolocumab (sc) at q2 week and qmonthly vs placebo Percent change in calculated LDL-C from baseline at week 12 -67.0% to -76% reduction with Evolocumab compared to placebo (P < 0.0001)
GAUSS-2 (NCT01763905) Stroes et al[78]; Randomized double blinded 307 Patients with LDL not at goal according to their cardiovascular risk and not on statin or low dose statin due to history of statin intolerance (> 2 statins) with stable LLT > 4 wk Evolovumab (SC) at q2 week and qmonthly dosing vs Placebo (SC) + Ezetimibe (10 mg/d) daily Percent change in LDL-C from baseline at the mean of weeks 10 and 12 and at week 12 Change from baseline LDL at week 12 -55.3% to -56.1% for Evolocumab compared with -16.6% to -19.2% for ezetimibe (P < 0.0001) -103.6 to -105.4 (Evolocumab) vs -33 to -39 (mg/dL)
MENDEL-2 (NCT01763827 Koren et al[77]; Randomized double-blinded 614 NCEP ATP III Framingham risk score of < 10% Fasting LDL-C ≥ 100 mg/dL and < 190 mg/dL Oral placebo to SC placebo; ezetimibe to SC placebo and oral placebo to SC Evolocumab at dosing regimens of 140 mg biweekly and 420 mg monthly Percent change from baseline in LDL-C level averaged at weeks 10 and 12 Percent LDL change from baseline averaged at weeks 10 and 12 in the: Once per 2 wk arm: -56.9% (with Evolocumab) vs -17.5 (with ezetimibe) vs -0.4% (placebo) For monthly arm: -58.8% (with evolocumab) vs -19.1 (with ezetimibe) vs -1.4% (placebo)
Percent change from baseline in LDL-C level at week 12 Percent LDL change from baseline averaged at weeks 12: Once per 2 wk arm: -57% (with Evolocumab) vs -17.8 (with ezetimibe) vs 0.1% (placebo) For monthly arm: -56.1% (with Evolocumab) vs -18.6 (with ezetimibe) vs -1.3% (placebo)
RUTHERFORD-2 (NCT01763918) Raal et al[72]; Randomized double blinded 329 Patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia who are on stable LLT for 4 wk and LDL > 100 mg/dL Evolocumab (SC) at 140 mg q2 weeks vs placebo SC q2w AND Evolocumab SC qmonthly vs Placebo (SC) Percent change from baseline in LDL-C level averaged at weeks 10 and 12 Percent change from baseline in LDL-C level at week 12 Percent LDL change from baseline averaged at weeks 12 in the: Once per 2 wk arm: -61.2% (with Evolocumab) vs -1.1% (with placebo) For monthly arm: -63.3% (with evolocumab) vs 2.3% (with placebo) Percent LDL change from baseline averaged at weeks 10 and 12 in the: Once per 2 wk arm: -61.3% (with Evolocumab) vs -2% (with placebo) For monthly arm: -55.7% (with Evolocumab) vs 5.5% (with placebo)
TESLA (NCT01588496) Raal et al[82]; Randomized double-blinded 50 Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, on stable lipid-regulating therapy for at least 4 wk, LDL cholesterol ≥ 130 mg/dL (3.4 mmol/L); Triglyceride ≤ 400 mg/dL (4.5 mmol/L); Body weight of ≥ 40 kg at screening, and not receiving lipoprotein apheresis Evolocumab (SC) 420 mg every 4 wk vs placebo (SC) Percentage change in ultracentrifugation LDL cholesterol from baseline at week 12 compared with placebo, analyzed by intention-to-treat Percent change from baseline in LDL-C at week 52 Evolocumab significantly reduced ultracentrifugation LDL cholesterol at 12 wk by 30.9% (95%CI: -43.9% to -18.0%; P < 0.0001) vs placebo
DESCARTES (NCT01516879) Blom et al[80]; Randomized, double-blinded 901 Fasting LDL ≥ 75 mg/dL and meeting the following on background LLT: (1) < 100 mg/dL for subjects with diagnosed CHD or CHD risk equivalent; (2) < 130 mg/dL for subjects without diagnosed CHD or CHD risk equivalent; (3) on maximal background LLT defined as atorvastatin 80 mg PO QD and ezetimibe 10 mg PO QD Fasting triglycerides ≤ 400 mg/dL Evolocumab (SC) 420 mg every 4 wk with diet alone vs placebo with diet Evolocumab (SC) 420 mg every 4 wk with diet + atorvastatin 10 mg/d vs placebo with diet and atorvastatin 10 mg/d Evolocumab (SC) 420 mg every 4 wk + atorvastatin 80 mg/d vs placebo + atorvastatin 80 mg/d Evolocumab (SC) 420 mg every 4 wk + atorvastatin 80 mg/d + ezetimibe 10 mg/d vs placebo + atorvastatin 80 mg/d + ezetimibe 10 mg/d Percent change from baseline in LDL-C at week 52 Addition of Evolocumab resulted in LDL reduction by: (1) 51% to 60% in diet alone group; (2) 59% to 64% in patients on 10 mg atorvastatin (3) 51% to 62% in patients on 80 mg atorvastatin (4) 43% to 54% in patients with atorvastatin 80 mg/d and ezetimibe 10 mg/d (P < 0.001 for all)

SC: Subcutaneous; LLT: Lipid lowering therapy; heFH: Heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia; CHD: Coronary heart disease; HCL: Hypercholesterolemia; MACE: Major adverse Cardiovascular Events; MI: Myocardial infarction; UA: Unstable angina; HR: Hazards ratio; CI: Confidence interval.