The US drug major’s CEO, David Ricks, told ET the drug in research can potentially cut a specific type of cholesterol that is highly prevalent in Indians and South Asians by as much as 85% to 90%.
Also Read: ₹14,000 per month weight-loss shot is here to cash in on India’s obesity crisis
Eli Lilly, with a market cap of roughly $750 billion, is working on a multitude of treatment modalities with an annual R&D budget that has swelled to $14 billion.
Lilly’s research on the heart drug is a significant step given the surge in heart related cases in India. An estimated 64 million Indians were reported to have heart conditions in 2023 and an above-average death rate of 2,720 per million versus the world average of 2,350, according to the World Heart Federation. “Lilly is pursuing an important target for Indians. It is about lowering the LPA (lipoprotein-a) cholesterol particles. Despite the success of statins and other commonly used cholesterol-lowering medications, one particle that is toxic but is not addressed yet is LPA,” Ricks said.
The cholesterol is found to be more prevalent in South Asians than other populations, he said, adding that Eli Lilly has a solution in phase 3 clinical trials. Scientific studies show at least 25% South Asians have an elevated level of LPA.
Called lepodisiran, if successfully cleared, the drug will be a significant intervention in India’s fight against cardiovascular diseases. The step is critical to the Asian-origin population since most western drug makers focus on innovative drugs targeted at populations in the US and Europe. Importantly, lepodisiran requires a once-a-year administration to reduce LPA cholesterol. But some wait is expected. Ricks said, “We have to prove that this translates into lesser heart attacks, but this is an exciting type of technology that’s unlocking new targets and is super convenient, which is incredible.”
Ricks’ reference is to a raft of new treatment modalities that include drugs focused on RNA, which helps make proteins in the body. Lepodisiran silences the LPA protein and cuts its circulation levels. Ricks explained, “This is a pathway where we are silencing an RNA or a protein production at a basic level in a super targeted way and importantly with very long intervals (of dosing).”
Last year Swiss drugmaker Novartis launched in India a twice-a-year injectable called Leqvio (inclisiran). Leqvio works on the same mechanism of RNA interference that blocks the production of PCSK9 protein and lowers cholesterol. However, Ricks said Leqvio does not address the LPA target. “The (lepodisiran) drug is very benign, has very few side effects, is easy to administer and suppresses cardiovascular factors for a long period. It is a very important drug for this country. We have Indian patients in global clinical trials, and we are in the middle of phase 3 (clinical trials) as of now,” he noted.
