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CTRI Number  CTRI/2025/10/095916 [Registered on: 13/10/2025] Trial Registered Prospectively
Last Modified On: 14/09/2026
Post Graduate Thesis  No 
Type of Trial  Interventional 
Type of Study   Drug 
Study Design  Randomized, Parallel Group, Placebo Controlled Trial 
Public Title of Study   A study on Major Adverse cardiovascular events in Patients with a History of Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events or at High Risk for a First Event 
Scientific Title of Study   A Phase III, Randomised, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Parallel-group Study to Assess the Effect of AZD0780 on Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Patients with Established Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) or at High Risk for a First ASCVD Event - AZURE-Outcomes 
Trial Acronym   
Secondary IDs if Any
Modification(s)  
Secondary ID  Identifier 
NCT05384262  ClinicalTrials.gov 
Protocol D7960C00015 Version 3.0 dated 13-March-2026  Protocol Number 
 
Details of Principal Investigator or overall Trial Coordinator (multi-center study)  
Name  Dr Vijay Kumar Chopra 
Designation  Senior Director, 
Affiliation  Max Super Speciality Hospital Saket (East Block)  
Address  (A Unit of Devki Devi Foundation) Saket , 2, Press Enclave Road, Saket, New Delhi

New Delhi
DELHI
110017
India 
Phone  9650896800  
Fax    
Email  vijay.chopra@maxhealthcare.com  
 
Details of Contact Person
Scientific Query
 
Name  Tapankumar Shah 
Designation  Senior Director – Site Management and Monitoring, Biopharmaceuticals R&D 
Affiliation  AstraZeneca Pharma India Ltd, 
Address  Block N1, 12th Floor, Manyata Embassy Business Park, Rachenahalli, Outer Ring Road, Bangalore.

Bangalore
KARNATAKA
560045
India 
Phone  9535104975  
Fax    
Email  Tapankumar.Shah@astrazeneca.com  
 
Details of Contact Person
Public Query
 
Name  Tapankumar Shah 
Designation  Senior Director – Site Management and Monitoring, Biopharmaceuticals R&D 
Affiliation  AstraZeneca Pharma India Ltd, 
Address  Block N1, 12th Floor, Manyata Embassy Business Park, Rachenahalli, Outer Ring Road, Bangalore.


KARNATAKA
560045
India 
Phone  9535104975  
Fax    
Email  Tapankumar.Shah@astrazeneca.com  
 
Source of Monetary or Material Support  
AstraZeneca AB 
 
Primary Sponsor  
Name  AstraZeneca AB 
Address  151 85 Södertälje, Sweden 
Type of Sponsor  Pharmaceutical industry-Global 
 
Details of Secondary Sponsor  
Name  Address 
AstraZeneca Pharma India Ltd  Block N1, 12th Floor, Manyata Embassy Business Park, Rachenahalli, Outer Ring Road, Bangalore - 560045, Karnataka, India  
 
Countries of Recruitment     Argentina
Brazil
Bulgaria
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Czech Republic
Denmark
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
India
Italy
Japan
Malaysia
Mexico
New Zealand
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Republic of Korea
Romania
Slovakia
South Africa
Spain
Sweden
Taiwan
Thailand
Turkey
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United Republic of Tanzania
Viet Nam  
Sites of Study
Modification(s)  
No of Sites = 33  
Name of Principal Investigator  Name of Site  Site Address  Phone/Fax/Email 
Dr Sandeep Seth  All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)  Professor, Department of Cardiology, Ansari Nagar, PIN - 110029
New Delhi
DELHI 
9650929005

drsandeepseth@hotmail.com 
Dr Puneet Aggarwal  Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Medical Sciences  Associate Professor, Department of Cardiology, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, PIN - 110001
New Delhi
DELHI 
7235807073

puneetaggarwal4u@gmail.com 
Dr Upendra Kaul  Batra Hospital and Medical Research Centre  Chairman, Department of Cardiology, 1, Tughlakabad Institutional Area, Mehrauli Badapur Road, PIN- 110062
New Delhi
DELHI 
9811150518

upendra.kaul@batrahospitaldelhi.org 
Dr Krishnakumar P  Calicut Medical College  Department of Cardiology, Government Medical College, Kozhikode, Calicut medical College, Medical College Road, Kozhikode-673008, Kerala
Kozhikode
KERALA 
9447658824

krishnakumarp03@gmail.com 
Dr Praneeth Polamuri  Care Hospitals  Senior Conusltant, Department of Cardiology, 6-3-248/2, Road No.1, Banjara Hills, PIN- 500034
Hyderabad
TELANGANA 
9441490614

pran.omc@gmail.com 
Dr Mohd Aziz Khan  Crescent Hospital & Heart Centre  Senior Consultant Cardiologisit, Behind Old Mount Carmel School, Near Lokmat Square, Dhantoli, PIN- 440012
Nagpur
MAHARASHTRA 
9823056551

khandraziz@yahoo.com 
Dr Gurpreet Singh Wander  Dayanand Medical College & Hospital, Unit - Hero DMC Heart Institute  Principal and Professor, Department of Cardiology, Tagore Nagar, Civil Lines, PIN- 141001
Ludhiana
PUNJAB 
9815545316

drgswander@yahoo.com 
Dr Sanjeev Sharma  Eternal Hearth Center  Eternal Hospital, A unit of Eternal Heart Care Centre and Research Institute, 3A, Jagatpura Road, Near Jawahar Circle
Jaipur
RAJASTHAN 
9983333421

sanzsharma@gmail.com 
Dr Peeyush Jain  Fortis Escorts Heart Institute  Director, Department of Cardiology, Okhla Road, PIN - 110025
New Delhi
DELHI 
9818701043

peeyush.jain@fortishealthcare.com 
Dr Vimal Mehta  Govind Ballabh Pant Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research  Director-Professor, Department of Cardiology, First Floor, Academic Block, Department of Cardiology, Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg, PIN- 110002
New Delhi
DELHI 
9718599105

drvimalmehta@yahoo.co.in 
Dr Srinivasu Yalaga  Govt. Siddhartha Medical College  Assistant Professor, Department of Cardiology, Ring road, Gunadala, Vijayawada - 520008
Krishna
ANDHRA PRADESH 
8328309714

dr.y.srinivasu@gmail.com 
Dr Ajit R Bhagwat  Kamalnayan Bajaj Hospital  Kamalnayan Bajaj Hospital, Gut No. 43, Satara Parisar, Bajaj Marg, Beed Bypass Road
Aurangabad
MAHARASHTRA 
9822050817

drbhagwat.knb@gmail.com 
Dr Tom Devasia  Kasturba Hospital, an associate Hospital of MAHE  Professor and Unit Head, Department of Cardiology, Madhav Nagar, Manipal - PIN 576104.
Dakshina Kannada
KARNATAKA 
9448158508

tom.devasia@manipal.edu 
Dr TCR Ramakrishnan  KG Hospital and Post Graduate Medical Institute and Research Centre  Department of Cardiology, No. 5, Government Arts College Road, Coimbatore - 641 018, Tamil Nadu
Coimbatore
TAMIL NADU 
9443365792

priyarams01@gmail.com 
Dr Prasad Murigendrappa Renuka  KLES Dr Prabhakar Kore Hospital & Medical Research Centre  Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, Department of Cardiology, Nehru Nagar, PIN-590010
Belgaum
KARNATAKA 
9243245777

drprasadmr@gmail.com 
Dr Anand Kumar Valsakumar  Lakeshore Hospital and Research Centre Ltd.  Senior Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, Department of Cardiology, XVI/612, Maradu, Nettoor PO, PIN -682040, Kochi,
Ernakulam
KERALA 
9249488064

anandheart@gmail.com 
Dr Jabir Abdullakutty  Lisie Hospital  Senior Cardiology Consultant, Department of Cardiology, P.B. No. 3053, Kochi - 682018
Ernakulam
KERALA 
9447011773

drjabi@yahoo.co.in 
Dr Santosh Kumar Sinha  LPS Institute of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery  Associate Professor, Department of Cardiology, G.S.V.M Medical College, G.T. Road, Swaroop Nagar, PIN- 208002,
Kanpur Nagar
UTTAR PRADESH 
9670220088

fionasan@rediffmail.com 
Dr P S Gautam  Malla Reddy Narayana Multispeciality Hospital  Consultant Cardiologist, Suraram X" Roads, Jeedimetla, Hyderabad, PIN - 500055
Hyderabad
TELANGANA 
9885255333

drgautamps@gmail.com 
Dr Anish Chandarana  Marengo CIMS Hospital  Interventional Cardilogisit, Department of Cardiology, Plot no. 67/1, Opp.Panchmrut Bunglows, Near Shukan Mall, Off. Science City Road, PIN - 380060
Ahmadabad
GUJARAT 
9825096922

anish.chandarana@cims.me 
Dr Vijay Kumar Chopra  Max Super Speciality Hospital Saket (East Block)  (A Unit of Devki Devi Foundation) Senior Director, Department of Cardiology, 2, Press Enclave Road, Saket, PIN - 110017
New Delhi
DELHI 
9650896800

vijay.chopra@maxhealthcare.com 
Dr Rajneesh Kapoor  Medanta - The Medicity  Chairman of Interventional Cardiology, Sector - 38, PIN- 122001
Gurgaon
HARYANA 
9971991740

Rajneesh.Kapoor@medanta.org 
Dr Hitendra Bhagwatkar  NKP Salve Institute of Medical Sciences and Lata Mangeshkar Hospital  NKP Salve Institute of Medical Science and Research Centre and Lata Mangeshkar Hospital, Digdoh Hills, Hingna Road
Nagpur
MAHARASHTRA 
9096115922

hitendrabhagwatkar@gmail.com 
Dr Swapan Kumar Halder  NRS Medical College & Hospital  Department of Cardiology, Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital
Kolkata
WEST BENGAL 
9433428061

drskh@rediffmail.com 
Dr Ayan Kar  Rabindranath Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences  Consultant, Department of Cardiology, Premises No 1489, 124 Mukundapur, E.M. Bypass, PIN- 700099
Kolkata
WEST BENGAL 
8334896900

ayan.kar.dr@narayanahealth.org 
Dr Nirav Chandulal Bhalani  Rhythm Heart Institute  Interventional Cardiologisit, Department of Cardiology, Near Siddharth Bungalows, Sama Savli Road, PIN- 390022
Vadodara
GUJARAT 
8128995863

drniravbhalani@hotmail.com 
Dr Tanuj Bhatia  Shri Guru Ram Rai Institute of Medical & Health Sciences and Shri Mahant Indiresh Hospital  Associate Professor, Department of Cardiology, Patel Nagar, Dehradun - 248001, Uttarakhand
Dehradun
UTTARANCHAL 
9936618283

tanujbhatia21@gmail.com 
Dr Sriranga R  Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research  Associate Professor, Department of Cardiology, Bannerghatta Road, 9th block, Jayanagar, PIN - 560069
Bangalore
KARNATAKA 
9643355687

drsrirangar12@gmail.com 
Dr Mahesh C Fulwani  Srikrishna Hrudayalaya  Shrikrishna Hrudayalaya and Critical Care Center, Congress Nagar Square, Tikekar Road, Dhantoli
Nagpur
MAHARASHTRA 
9921120005

drmaheshfulwani@gmail.com 
Dr Amit Sharma  Subharti Medical College and Hospital  Department of Cardiology, Subharti Medical College and Hospital, Subhaeripuram,
Meerut
UTTAR PRADESH 
9911053994

dramit97@gmail.com 
Dr J Cecily Mary Majella  Tamil Nadu Government Super Speciality Hospital  Omandurar Estate, Chennai
Chennai
TAMIL NADU 
9884784151

drcecilym.research@gmail.com 
Dr Ajay Chaurasiya  Topiwala National Medical College & B.Y.L Nair Charitable Hospital  Professor and Head, Department of Cardiology, Dr. A.L. Nair Road, PIN - 400008
Mumbai
MAHARASHTRA 
9821317392

drajayschaurasia@gmail.com 
Dr Karan Chopra  Venkateshwar Hospital  Director, Department of Cardiology, Sector 18A, Dwaraka, PIN - 110075
New Delhi
DELHI 
7568536383

drkarandm@gmail.com 
 
Details of Ethics Committee
Modification(s)  
No of Ethics Committees= 33  
Name of Committee  Approval Status 
CARE Hospitals, Institutional Ethics Committee,  Approved 
Drug Trial Ethics Committee Dayanand Medical College and Hospital  Approved 
Eternal Heart Care Centre and Res Inst-IEC  Approved 
Ethics Committee Kamalnayan Bajaj Hospital  Approved 
Ethics Committee of Crescent Hospital Heart Centre  Approved 
Ethics Committee of Marengo Asia Healthcare Pvt Ltd  Approved 
Ethics Committee, N.R.S. Medical College  Approved 
Ethics Committee, PGIMER, Dr. RML Hospital PGIMER  Approved 
IEC LPS Institute of Cardiology  Approved 
IEC Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Specialty Hospital  Approved 
IEC VENKATESHWAR HOSPITAL UNIT OF ASHA  Approved 
IEC-NKP Salve Institute of Medical Sciences  Approved 
IEC-Subharti Medical College and Hospital  Approved 
Institute Ethics Committee, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi  Approved 
Institutional Ethics Committee Govt Medical College Kozhikode   Approved 
Institutional Ethics Committee Malla Reddy Medical College For Women  Approved 
Institutional Ethics Committee MAMC  Approved 
Institutional Ethics Committee SGRR Institute Of Medical Health Sciences  Approved 
Institutional Ethics Committee SMC and GGH, Siddhartha Medical College and Govt.General Hospital  Approved 
Institutional Ethics Committee TNMC Nair Hospital  Approved 
Institutional Ethics Committee, Devki Devi Foundation, 2 Press Enclave Road,  Approved 
Institutional Ethics Committee, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute  Approved 
Institutional Ethics Committee, KG Hospital  Approved 
Institutional Ethics Committee, KLE University KLE Dr.PK Hospital and MRC, Nehru Nagar, Belagavi, Karnataka - 590010  Approved 
Institutional Ethics Committee, Lisie Hospital  Approved 
Lakeshore Ethics Committee  Approved 
MAHE Ethics Committee Manipal Academy of Higher Education  Submittted/Under Review 
Medanta Institutional Ethics Committee  Approved 
NHRTIICS Ethics Committee  Approved 
Rhythm Heart Institute Ethics Committee  Approved 
Scientific Research and Ethical review Committee, Batra Hospital And Medical Research Centre,  Approved 
Sri Jayadeva Ethics Committee  Approved 
Virtuous Institutional Medical Research EC  Approved 
 
Regulatory Clearance Status from DCGI  
Status 
Approved/Obtained 
 
Health Condition / Problems Studied  
Health Type  Condition 
Patients  (1) ICD-10 Condition: I219||Acute myocardial infarction, unspecified,  
 
Intervention / Comparator Agent  
Type  Name  Details 
Intervention  AZD0780  Formulation: Tablet Dose strength: 30 mg Route: Oral Frequency: Once daily  
Comparator Agent  Placebo  Formulation: Tablet Dose strength: NA Route: Oral Frequency: Once daily  
 
Inclusion Criteria
Modification(s)  
Age From  18.00 Year(s)
Age To  99.00 Year(s)
Gender  Both 
Details  Participants are eligible if they are adults who meet one of the following disease criteria. Participants with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease must have a history of myocardial infarction or ischaemic stroke due to atherosclerotic disease at least one month before randomisation, or previous revascularisation for symptomatic lower limb peripheral artery disease, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol of at least 60 milligrams per decilitre. Participants with low density lipoprotein cholesterol from 60 to less than 75 milligrams per decilitre must also have lipoprotein a of at least 50 nanomoles per litre or 25 milligrams per decilitre and at least one additional risk factor. Participants with low density lipoprotein cholesterol of at least 75 milligrams per decilitre must have at least one additional risk factor. Participants with an index myocardial infarction or stroke more than 12 months before randomisation must have polyvascular disease and, if low density lipoprotein cholesterol is between 60 and less than 75 milligrams per decilitre, lipoprotein a of at least 50 nanomoles per litre or 25 milligrams per decilitre. Additional risk factors include polyvascular disease, type 2 diabetes requiring treatment, age of at least 65 years, recurrent atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events, previous above ankle amputation due to peripheral artery disease, non end stage chronic kidney disease with estimated glomerular filtration rate below 60 millilitres per minute per 1.73 square metres, high sensitivity C reactive protein of at least 2 milligrams per litre without another explanation, or lipoprotein a of at least 50 nanomoles per litre or 25 milligrams per decilitre. Participants at increased risk of a first atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease event must be males aged at least 50 years or females aged at least 55 years, with low density lipoprotein cholesterol of at least 100 milligrams per decilitre, no previous myocardial infarction, qualifying ischaemic stroke or symptomatic lower limb peripheral artery revascularisation, and diagnostic evidence of significant atherosclerotic disease, high risk type 1 or type 2 diabetes with end organ disease, or less significant documented atherosclerosis. Eligible disease evidence may include coronary artery calcium score of at least 100, arterial stenosis or occlusion, prior arterial revascularisation, coronary artery bypass graft surgery more than five years earlier, abnormal ankle brachial index, obstructive or polyvascular coronary disease, diabetic nephropathy, retinopathy, neuropathy or abnormal ankle brachial index, stress test evidence of coronary ischaemia, increased carotid intima media thickness, or documented atherosclerotic plaque or calcification. Participants included under high risk diabetes or less significant atherosclerosis must also have at least one additional risk factor including chronic kidney disease, current tobacco use, age of at least 65 years, type 2 diabetes, elevated lipoprotein a or high sensitivity C reactive protein. All participants must receive stable background lipid lowering treatment for more than 28 days, expected to reduce low density lipoprotein cholesterol by approximately 50 percent, consisting of a high intensity statin, a lower intensity statin with ezetimibe or bempedoic acid, or the maximum tolerated statin regimen with oral combination therapy strongly recommended. All participants must be assigned male or female at birth, be capable of providing informed consent, provide written informed consent before study procedures and comply with study requirements. Females of childbearing potential must use highly effective contraception together with a barrier method from screening until at least 10 days after the last dose of study treatment. Females of non childbearing potential must be permanently sterilised or postmenopausal as defined by the protocol. Optional genomics participation requires separate written informed consent before sample collection. 
 
ExclusionCriteria 
Details 
Participants will be excluded if they have any disease or condition that may interfere with study assessments, including homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia, plasma or low density lipoprotein apheresis within 12 months before randomisation, planned revascularisation within three months, recent imaging showing a coronary calcium score of zero or no coronary atherosclerosis, estimated glomerular filtration rate below 15 millilitres per minute per 1.73 square metres, uncontrolled severe hypertension with systolic blood pressure above 160 millimetres of mercury or diastolic blood pressure above 110 millimetres of mercury, severe non cardiovascular disease with life expectancy below two years, malignancy within the previous three years except non melanoma skin cancer or cervical carcinoma in situ, or major organ transplantation. Participants will also be excluded for clinically significant laboratory abnormalities, including aspartate aminotransferase or alanine aminotransferase above three times the upper limit of normal, total bilirubin above two times the upper limit of normal, fasting triglycerides of at least 400 milligrams per decilitre, creatine kinase above five times the upper limit of normal, or urine albumin to creatinine ratio of at least 500 milligrams per gram. Other exclusions include pregnancy, breastfeeding, alcohol or drug abuse within the previous five years, hypersensitivity or previous intolerance to AZD0780, uncontrolled or serious medical or surgical conditions, uncontrolled type 2 diabetes with glycated haemoglobin of at least 9.5 percent, and inadequately treated hypothyroidism. Participants must not have used mipomersen or lomitapide within 12 months before screening, gemfibrozil within one week before screening, or PCSK9 inhibitors within the protocol specified washout periods, and must not plan to use these treatments during the study. Participants will be excluded if they have participated in specified AZD0780 studies or another clinical study involving an investigational product or device within 30 days or five half lives before screening, whichever is longer, or if they plan to use another investigational product or device during the study. Additional exclusions include inability to communicate or cooperate with the investigator, inability or unwillingness to understand or comply with study requirements, involvement in study planning or conduct, previous randomisation in the current study, an acute ischaemic atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease event within seven days before randomisation, corrected QT interval using Fridericia correction above 500 milliseconds without an alternative explanation, or sustained spontaneous ventricular arrhythmia requiring treatment within 30 days before randomisation without an implantable cardioverter defibrillator. Participants undergoing optional genetic research will also be excluded if they have received an allogeneic bone marrow transplant or a non leukocyte depleted whole blood transfusion within 120 days before genetic sample collection. Participants must fast for at least eight hours before scheduled study visits and consume only water during the fasting period, follow a heart healthy diet according to local guidelines, avoid starting new physical training or increasing usual training intensity during the five days before study visits, and refrain from blood donation throughout the study.
 
 
Method of Generating Random Sequence   Stratified block randomization 
Method of Concealment   Centralized 
Blinding/Masking   Participant and Investigator Blinded 
Primary Outcome  
Outcome  TimePoints 
To compare the effect of treatment with AZD0780 to placebo in reducing the risk of MACE-PLUS (the composite of CV death, MI, ischaemic stroke, acute lower limb ischemia, major amputation of a vascular aetiology, and urgent arterial revascularisation)  Time to first event of any component of MACE-PLUS 
 
Secondary Outcome  
Outcome  TimePoints 
To compare the effect of treatment with AZD0780 to placebo in reducing the risk of 3P-MACE (the composite of CV death, MI, and ischaemic stroke)  Time to first event of any component of 3P-MACE 
To compare the effect of treatment with AZD0780 to placebo in reducing the risk of MACE-PLUS in patients with a history of ASCVD  Time to first event of any component of MACE-PLUS 
To compare the effect of treatment with AZD0780 to placebo in reducing the risk of MI  Time to first event of MI 
To compare the effect of treatment with AZD0780 to placebo in reducing the risk of urgent coronary revascularisation  Time to first event of urgent coronary revascularisation 
To compare the effect of treatment with AZD0780 to placebo in reducing the risk of CV death  Time to CV death 
To compare the effect of treatment with AZD0780 to placebo in reducing the risk of MALE (the composite of acute lower limb ischemia, major amputation of vascular aetiology, and urgent lower extremity revascularisation)  Time to first event of MALE 
To compare the effect of treatment with AZD0780 to placebo in reducing the risk of all-cause mortality  Time to all-cause mortality 
 
Target Sample Size   Total Sample Size="15100"
Sample Size from India="600" 
Final Enrollment numbers achieved (Total)= "Applicable only for Completed/Terminated trials"
Final Enrollment numbers achieved (India)="Applicable only for Completed/Terminated trials" 
Phase of Trial   Phase 3 
Date of First Enrollment (India)   20/10/2025 
Date of Study Completion (India) Applicable only for Completed/Terminated trials 
Date of First Enrollment (Global)  04/06/2025 
Date of Study Completion (Global) Applicable only for Completed/Terminated trials 
Estimated Duration of Trial   Years="2"
Months="5"
Days="0" 
Recruitment Status of Trial (Global)   Open to Recruitment 
Recruitment Status of Trial (India)  Open to Recruitment 
Publication Details   N/A 
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement

Will individual participant data (IPD) be shared publicly (including data dictionaries)?  

Response - NO
Brief Summary  

This study is designed to assess the effect of AZD0780 compared with placebo in reducing the risk of MACE-PLUS in participants with established ASCVD or those at high risk for a first ASCVD event.

ASCVD is one of the leading causes of death, causing 18.6 million deaths globally in 2019 (Pirillo et al 2021). Dyslipidaemia (ie, hyperlipidaemia, or elevated LDL-C) is one of the main causal factors of ASCVD and the main interventional target for preventing ASCVD (Ference et al 2018, Pirillo et al 2021, Roth et al 2020).

Dyslipidaemia is treated mainly with statins, ezetimibe, bempedoic acid, and parenteral PCSK9 inhibitors, where statins are the first-line therapy for lowering of LDL-C (Grundy et al 2019, Mach et al 2020). Observational data sets correlating LDL-C levels with the incidence of CV events, as well as several landmark statin clinical studies, have demonstrated a proportional and linear relationship between LDL-C and CV events (Ference et al 2017, Schubert et al 2021). Secondary outcome studies also demonstrated that incremental LDL-C reduction derived from maximal statin therapy is associated with both a clinical and statistically significant benefit in CV events such as composite endpoints of the aggregate of death, MI, stroke, coronary revascularisation, and hospitalisation for unstable angina (Cannon et al 2004, Pedersen et al 2005, Waters et al 2006, Collins et al 2016). A meta-analysis of more than 170,000 participants in 26 randomised, controlled studies of statins has shown that “further reductions in LDL cholesterol safely produce definite further reductions in the incidence of heart attack, of revascularisation, and of ischaemic stroke, with each 1.0 mmol/L reduction reducing the annual rate of these major vascular events by just over 20%. There was no evidence of any threshold within the cholesterol range studied” (Borén et al 2020, Cholesterol Treatment Trialists’ Collaboration et al 2010, Ference et al 2017).

Current guidelines call for LDL-C to be lowered with maximally tolerated statins in patients at high risk or with existing ASCVD. However, despite many available LDL-C lowering agents, many patients still do not reach the recommended LDL-C target levels and remain at increased risk of CV morbidity/mortality.

PCSK9 is an enzyme promoting degradation of the LDL receptor. The reduction of circulating PCSK9 increases LDL receptor levels and lowers plasma LDL-C. Subcutaneously injected drugs targeting PCSK9 (evolocumab and alirocumab [monoclonal antibodies], and inclisiran [silencing RNA]) have been approved for the treatment of patients at high CV risk and residual dyslipidaemia, but oral PCSK9 inhibitors are not yet available. AZD0780 is a small-molecule PCSK9 inhibitor that may provide an effective and simple orally administered new treatment option for secondary prevention in patients with established ACSVD and primary prevention in those at high risk for a first ASCVD event who are not reaching treatment goals with current therapies. 
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