Montreal University. Canada: Researchers at the Montreal Heart Institute announced today results
showing that patients with cardiovascular disease and the appropriate
genetic background benefit greatly from the new medication dalcetrapib,
with a reduction of 39% in combined clinical outcomes including heart attacks, strokes, unstable angina, coronary revascularizations and
cardiovascular deaths.
These patients also benefit from a reduction in
the amount of atherosclerosis (thickened walls) in their vessels. The
detailed results are published in the prestigious Journal Circulation Cardiovascular Genetics. This discovery may also pave the way for a new era in cardiovascular medicine, with personalized or precision drugs.
The team led by Drs Jean-Claude Tardif and Marie-Pierre Dubé performed
the analysis of 5749 patients who received dalcetrapib or placebo and
provided DNA in a clinical study. A strong association was discovered
between the effects of dalcetrapib and a specific gene called ADCY9
(adenylate cyclase 9) on chromosome 16, particularly for a specific
genetic variant (rs1967309). In patients with the genetic profile AA at
rs1967309, there was a 39% reduction in the composite cardiovascular
endpoint with dalcetrapib compared to placebo. Supporting evidence was
also obtained from a second study, which showed that patients with the
favourable genetic profile also benefited from a reduction in the
thickness of their carotid artery walls with dalcetrapib.
“These results will lead to a genetics-guided clinical study in
patients with the appropriate genetic background to allow review by
health regulatory agencies and to provide personalized therapy with
dalcetrapib. It also offers great hope for precision treatments for
patients with cardiovascular diseases and for curbing atherosclerosis,
the first cause of mortality in the world” said lead investigator
Jean-Claude Tardif MD, director of the Research Center at the Montreal
Heart Institute and professor of medicine at the University of Montreal.
The investigators tested multiple genetic markers across the entire
genome in a procedure called genome-wide association study. “We used
state-of-the-art genetic and statistical techniques to demonstrate that
the effect of the patient's genetic profile was only observed in those
treated with dalcetrapib and not placebo. We want to provide patients
with additional personalized cardiovascular therapies in the years to
come, for more efficacious and safer medicines”, commented Marie-Pierre
Dubé PhD, director of the Beaulieu-Saucier.
Pharmacogenomics Center at the Montreal Heart Institute and professor of medicine at the University of Montreal.
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Dr. Jean-Claude Tardif is available for interviews.
To read the article: http://bit.ly/1tZSSG9
To consult the Journal of the American heart Association website : http://circgenetics.ahajournals.org
Media Invitation : Wednesday January 14 2015 at 10:30 AM
Auditorium Jean Parisien at the Montreal Heart Institute
5000, Bélanger street , Montréal, Québec H1T 1C8
RSVP : Lise Plante 514 376-3330 ext 3898
Dr Jean-Claude Tardif will present the study highlights.