Amarin Corporation plc a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with a focus on cardiovascular disease, reported positive, statistically significant top-line results from its Anchor trial for the company's lead product candidate, AMR101. The phase III trial met its primary and secondary efficacy endpoints for both the 4 gram and 2 gram daily doses.

The purpose of the Anchor trial was to demonstrate that AMR101 is effective in reducing triglyceride levels in patients with high triglycerides without increasing LDL-C (bad cholesterol) levels in patients on background statin therapy. The Anchor trial investigated AMR101 as a treatment for high triglycerides (=200 and <500mg/dL) in 702 patients with mixed dyslipidemia (two or more lipid disorders) on background statin therapy at LDL-C (Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol) goal who were at high risk of cardiovascular disease.

The majority of these patients were diabetic (73%). This is the largest trial with omega-3 therapy conducted in this important patient population. All patients were on background statin therapy with simvastatin, atorvastatin or rosuvastatin. Despite the benefits of statin therapy, patients in this population have significant residual risk for cardiovascular events.

The trial's primary endpoint was defined as the percentage change in triglyceride levels from baseline compared to placebo after twelve weeks of treatment. In addition, the study was powered to demonstrate a lack of LDL-C elevating effect with AMR101 compared to placebo. The trial was conducted under a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) agreement with the FDA.

The primary endpoint for triglyceride change was achieved at both 4 grams and 2 grams per day with median placebo-adjusted reductions in triglyceride levels of 21.5% and 10.1% for the 4 grams and 2 grams per day dose groups, respectively. These reductions were both statistically significant (p<0.0001 and p = 0.0005, respectively). The median baseline triglyceride levels were 259 mg/dL, 265 mg/dL and 254 mg/dL for the patient groups treated with placebo, 4 grams and 2 grams of AMR101 per day, respectively. Even greater reductions in triglycerides were noted with higher potency statin regimens. Results were positive and statistically significant in both the diabetic and non-diabetic patient groups.

The trial's key secondary endpoint was to demonstrate a lack of elevation of LDL-C in order to avoid offset to the primary target of cholesterol lowering therapy. The trial's non-inferiority criterion for LDL-C was met at both AMR101 doses. The upper confidence boundaries for both doses were below the pre-specified +6% LDL-C threshold limit. In fact, at the 4 gram dose the upper confidence boundary was below zero (-1.7%) and at the 2 gram dose the upper confidence boundary was close to zero (0.05%). Moreover, for the 4 grams per day AMR101 group, LDL-C decreased significantly by 6.2% from baseline versus placebo, demonstrating superiority over placebo (p=0.0067). For the 2 grams per day group, LDL-C decreased by 3.6% from baseline versus placebo (p=0.0867).

In addition, the Anchor trial demonstrated statistically significant decreases in all predefined secondary endpoints at both doses studied. These endpoints were non-HDL-C, Apo B (Apolipoprotein B), Lp-PLA2 (lipoprotein phospholipase A2) and VLDL-cholesterol. Non-HDL-C decreased in the 4 grams per day group by 13.6% (p<0.0001) and in the 2 grams per day group by 5.5% (p=0.0054) compared to placebo. These are important lipid biomarkers as they represent predictors of cardiovascular risk. Apo B is a sensitive index of residual cardiovascular risk and is generally considered to be a better predictor than LDL-C. Lp-PLA2 is an enzyme found in blood and atherosclerotic plaque; high levels have been implicated in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. The safety profile of AMR101 was similar to placebo and there were no treatment-related serious adverse events in the trial. These results confirm and build upon the positive results for the Marine phase III trial announced in November 2010. The company expects to present more details of these results at an upcoming scientific meeting.

“The design and execution of the Anchor trial were robust and the trial results were very clearly positive,” said Christie M Ballantyne, MD, Methodist DeBakey Heart and Vascular Centre, Houston, and principal investigator of the Anchor trial. “I am very impressed with the performance of AMR101. In particular, whereas current triglyceride-lowering drugs may raise LDL-C and causes patient treatment concerns, AMR101 demonstrated a decrease in LDL-C beyond the decrease created by statin therapy. Furthermore, it is very encouraging for patient care that AMR101 caused reductions in significant markers of cardiovascular risk such as Apo B and non-HDL-C. The greater triglyceride reduction in patients with higher potency statin regimens is also very encouraging.”

Commenting on the Anchor trial results, Joseph S Zakrzewski, chief executive officer and executive chairman of Amarin, stated, “We are delighted by the results of the Anchor trial. In November we announced Marine trial results which position AMR101 to be best-in-class for treating patients with very high triglycerides. The Anchor trial results are even more remarkable than the broadly positive Marine trial results. We believe these results clearly differentiate AMR101 from other triglyceride lowering therapies and position AMR101 to be both first-in-class and best overall therapy for treating the high triglyceride population. We thank the Anchor team, including our investigators, for their many contributions to this outstanding study design and execution.”

In the US alone, approximately 40 million people have triglyceride levels above 200 mg/dL. The majority of these patients have high triglyceride levels of =200 and <500mg/dL as studied in the Anchor trial with approximately 4 million of these people having very triglyceride levels >500 mg/dL as studied in the Marine trial. Currently, no omega-3 based product is approved for the indication studied in the Anchor trial. In the seven largest pharmaceutical markets (US, Japan and five largest European markets), it is estimated that over 100 million people have mixed dyslipidemia.

The Anchor trial, a multi-centre, placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind, 12-week pivotal study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of 2 grams and 4 grams of AMR101, enrolled 702 patients with fasting triglyceride levels from 200 mg/dL to less than 500 mg/dL who were also on background statin therapy (treated to the National Cholesterol Education Programme Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP III) target goal of 100 mg/dL). Patients in this trial were characterized as having high triglyceride levels according to the NCEP III treatment guidelines. The secondary endpoints in the Anchor trial include the difference in LDL-cholesterol levels between AMR101-treated and placebo-treated groups to demonstrate that the addition of AMR101 to statin therapy does not increase LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C or bad cholesterol) in this population. Both treatment groups received statin therapy for the treatment of high LDL-cholesterol. Secondary measures in the Anchor trial were the difference in other lipid and biomarker levels between AMR101 and placebo treatment groups.

The three background statins used in the Anchor trial, simvastatin, atorvastatin or rosuvastatin, represent approximately 80% of statins currently used. The most common trade names for these drugs are Zocor, Lipitor and Crestor, respectively.

AMR101 is a prescription-grade omega-3 fatty acid, comprising not less than 96% ultra pure icosapent ethyl (ethyl-EPA), that Amarin is developing as a potentially best-in-class prescription medicine for the treatment of patients with very high triglyceride levels (>500 mg/dL) and as a potentially first-in-class therapy for patients with high triglyceride levels (>200 and <500mg/dL) who are also on statin therapy for elevated LDL-cholesterol levels. Significant scientific and clinical evidence support the efficacy and safety of ethyl-EPA in reducing triglyceride levels.

Amarin Corporation plc is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company with expertise in lipid science focused on the treatment of cardiovascular disease.