Jab to replace statins on NHS
Twice-yearly injection could save tens of thousands
TENS of thousands of lives could be saved by a twice-yearly heart jab being fast-tracked on to the NHS.
officials say the revolutionary cholesterol will patients, 30,000 over replace the deaths treatment, next could statins decade in for prevent the which many – and UK could NHS as be early available as next on year. the
trials show the drug, called inclisiran, safely reduces ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol by 50 per cent in just two weeks.
the effect is similar to that of high- dose statins – but instead of having to take a pill every day, patients can simply visit a nurse for a quick jab once every six months.
the injection is not yet licensed but the Department of health last night announced an agreement with drugs giant Novartis to launch a largescale trial this year to test it on hundreds of patients.
If successful, officials expect it to be approved for routine NHS use as early as 2021, far sooner than if it were to go through the typical regulatory routes.
NHS bosses predict the jab will patients be around a given year, 55,000 helping to 300,000 heart prevent attacks and strokes. health Secretary Matt hancock said last night: ‘ I’m determined to find ways to save as many lives as possible, and to do my best to stop terrible conditions like heart disease from taking people from their family and friends far too soon. this partnership is fantastic news and is a huge stride forwards in helping to achieve this.
‘this collaboration has the potential to save 30,000 lives over the next ten years and is proof that the UK continues to be the world-leading destination for revolutionary healthcare.’
the drug will be assessed for cost- effectiveness by NHS watchdog Nice in the coming months. the agreed price has not been disclosed but the deal means officials are confident it will pass the strict thresholds used by Nice.
If approved, the jab will initially be given alongside statins and will be targeted at people who already have heart disease and need to keep their cholesterol low.
But the new trial, to be led by the University of oxford, will also explore using the drug for ‘primary prevention’ – meaning the drug could be given to healthy people who have no history of heart disease but are judged to be at risk of developing problems.
Professor Kausik ray, of Imperial College london, who pioneered the use of the drug in early trials, said the injection could eventually benefit up to 700,000 people in the UK each year.
he believes the convenience of the drug could significantly improve the way people manage cholesterol as taking a daily pill can be off-putting. he said it is a revolutionary approach, adding: ‘the potential of this therapy is enormous from a convenience point of view and has the potential to overcome a huge issue which is non-adherence to medications which need to be taken daily.’
Dr riyaz Patel, consultant cardiologist at Barts health NHS trust in london, added: ‘ this as a really exciting announcement that changes the way we bring new medicines to patients earlier.’
roughly six million people in Britain are prescribed statins – preventing roughly 80,000 heart attacks and strokes every year, at a cost of about £20 annually.
But research by Nottingham University last year suggested 49 per cent of those prescribed pills do not see their cholesterol drop to a healthy level, either because they are on the wrong dose or because they stop taking the drugs.