Benzinga | Aug 27, 2021 12:11PM EDT

Amgen's Repatha Improves Plaque Stability In Heart Patients

* Amgen Inc (NASDAQ:AMGN) has announced positive data from the HUYGENS Phase 3 study assessing if Repatha (evolocumab) could increase the thickness of the fibrous caps to improve a feature of plaque stability.

* The data were presented at the oral presentation at ESC Congress 2021.

* Repatha, in addition to optimized statin therapy, in comparison with optimized statin therapy alone, significantly improved features of plaque stability in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

* The study met its primary endpoint, with Repatha treatment increased fibrous cap thickness by 42.7 um compared to an increase of 21.5 um (75% increase versus 39%) on optimized statin therapy alone.

* Repatha also improved all of the study's secondary endpoints, including decreasing the maximum lipid arc by -57.5? versus -31.4?.

* No new safety risks were identified. The most common treatment-emergent adverse events were angina pectoris, myalgia, hypertension, diarrhea, fatigue, and cough.

* Price Action: AMGN shares are up 1.56% at $224.93 during the market session on the last check Friday.