Amarin Corp. has released new data from a study showing that its fish oil medication, Vascepa, can significantly reduce the occurrence of several adverse heart events.
According to the results of a study involving 8,179 patients, Vascepa, made with a purified form of Omega-3, reduced the rate of heart attacks, stoke, heart-related deaths, and hospitalizations related to chest pain by 30 percent in patients at high risk for heart problems.
In November, several cardiologists raised questions about preliminary data from the study, saying that Amarin’s use of mineral oil as a placebo could have skewed the results because it has been linked to higher levels of LDL (or bad cholesterol), which could have triggered more negative cardiovascular outcomes. But Amarin countered with post-hoc analysis that showed positive results for patients regardless of their LDL levels.
Vascepa has already been approved to treat high levels of triglycerides. The company is now aiming to win an updated label for the drug that would include cardiovascular benefits. Amarin’s CEO touted the recent results saying that Vascepa “opens the door to a new era in preventative cardiovascular care.”
Analysts have predicted that sales for Vascepa could reach $350 million this year, and then soar to the blockbuster $1 billion mark by 2023.
Read the full Reuters report.