The "anti-heart attack" vaccine is tested: the first three patients recruited in Milan

Trials for the "anti-heart attack" vaccine are also underway in Italy.

The Monzino Cardiology Center has "enrolled" the first three patients who, as part of the Victorion-2P international multicenter study, will receive Inclisiran, the drug that Eugene Brauwnwal, father of modern cardiology, has defined as a real "vaccine". to protect against serious cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke.

The drug, made by Novartis, will be administered twice a year, and promises to reduce the risk of heart attack by halving the levels of "bad" LDL-C cholesterol.

"It is known that LDL-C plays a key role in the development and progression of cardiovascular and atherosclerotic diseases -, Professor Piergiuseppe Agostoni, director of the Monzino Department of Critical and Rehabilitative Cardiology, explains to AGI levels in the blood, a reduction in their incidence and mortality is obtained. An effect that is even more important in those most at risk, such as those who have already experienced a cardiovascular event (heart attack and stroke) in their history ".

Inclirisan is the first drug of a new class that, in previous clinical studies, has already been shown to lower LDL-C levels by 50% in both patients with cerebrovascular disease (Cevd) and in patients with polyvascular disease (PVD).

"In these subjects, even the statin therapy, even at the maximum tolerated dose, had not fully achieved the goal", continues Agostoni.

Inclirisan is a precision drug that is injected under the skin, as is the case with heparin for example, and goes directly to a specific target with no other targets in different places in the body. As a result, it is well tolerated and causes less severe side effects than high-dose statins. The low toxicity is a fundamental aspect because the candidates for the study are those in "secondary prevention", ie people who in the past have already had a cardio-cerebro-vascular event.

The study will involve over 10 thousand patients worldwide. At the moment in Italy, in addition to Monzino, other 5 centers are active or in the process of being activated, but the number is constantly evolving.

The total centers that would like to open the "recruitment" worldwide are 806, of which 531 non-EU, 275 EU and 20 Italians, with a recruitment target in our country of 200 subjects.

(Unioneonline / vl)