VASCEPA is the first and only agent studied on top of statin therapy reported to exhibit coronary plaque regression in hypertriglyceridemic patients

VASCEPA in REDUCE-IT® cardiovascular outcomes study achieved statistical significance for primary and secondary endpoints at predefined blinded first and second interim analyses that persisted at final analyses

VASCEPA demonstrated significantly greater benefits in total (first and subsequent) cardiovascular events vs. placebo across studied baseline statin types and prespecified baseline levels of triglycerides, LDL-C, and hsCRP and in patients with or without low HDL-C and elevated triglycerides at baseline

DUBLIN, Ireland and BRIDGEWATER, N.J., Sept. 01, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amarin Corporation plc (NASDAQ:AMRN) supported new data, presented at ESC Congress 2020, the annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), held from August 29 - September 1, 2020, adding to the growing body of knowledge on VASCEPA® (icosapent ethyl) in patients at risk for major adverse cardiovascular events.

“Cardiovascular disease continues to impact and challenge us all,” said Craig Granowitz, M.D., Ph.D., Amarin’s senior vice president and chief medical officer. “We see the detrimental effects it has on patients and those who care for them, as well as healthcare systems around the world. Data presented at ESC Congress 2020 provides additional support for potential ways in which VASCEPA can help to alleviate the burden of the worldwide public health crisis that is cardiovascular disease.”

Key data presented at ESC Congress 2020

“Effect of Icosapent Ethyl on Progression of Coronary Atherosclerosis in Patients with Elevated Triglycerides on Statin Therapy: Final results of the EVAPORATE Study” – presented on behalf of all authors by Matthew Budoff, M.D., The Lundquist Institute

Highlights: VASCEPA demonstrated significant, 17% regression of low attenuation plaque (LAP) volume on multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) compared with placebo over 18 months.

A total of 80 patients were enrolled in the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled EVAPORATE trial. Patients had to have coronary atherosclerosis as documented by MDCT (1 or more angiographic stenoses with ≥20% narrowing), be on statin therapy, and have persistently elevated triglyceride (TG) levels (mean TG at baseline was 259.1 mg/dL [+/- 78.1]). Patients underwent an interim scan at 9 months and a final scan at 18 months. The prespecified primary endpoint was a comparison of change in LAP volume at 18 months between icosapent ethyl and placebo.

Final results showed a significant reduction in the primary endpoint; icosapent ethyl reduced LAP plaque volume by 17% from baseline to the 18-month scan, whereas there was a progression of LAP plaque volume in the placebo group. There were significant differences between icosapent ethyl and placebo at study end for secondary endpoints of other types of plaque volume changes, including and sequentially total, total non-calcified, fibrofatty, and fibrous plaque volumes. All of these forms of coronary plaque regressed in the icosapent ethyl group and progressed in the placebo group, (p