A single shot of a new drug can lower cholesterol levels by up to 69 per cent, according to the initial results of a clinical trial that has not yet been peer reviewed.
The treatment, called VERVE-102, could transform the future of heart attack prevention by dramatically reducing a person's levels of LDL cholesterol – the so-called ‘bad’ cholesterol – with just one injection.
While statins can lower a person’s cholesterol levels by similar levels, these generally need to be taken daily.
“This is the future,” Prof Riyaz Patel – an academic cardiologist at University College London and a doctor at Barts Health NHS Trust, which has taken part in the trial – told BBC Science Focus.
“This is reality; it’s not science fiction. We’re actually doing it. I’ve had patients of mine in the trial receive this one-and-done treatment, and it’s going to change the face of cholesterol management going forward.”
Instead of managing cholesterol over time like statins, VERVE-102 aims to provide a one-time fix by ‘switching off’ a specific gene, known as PCSK9, in the liver. This gene plays a key role in regulating how much LDL cholesterol the liver can detect and remove from the bloodstream.
Essentially, less PCSK9 leads to less LDL in the bloodstream.
“We’re seeing some spectacular results,” said Patel. “This drug turns off a tiny fraction of DNA, and your LDL cholesterol is lower by 50 per cent for the rest of your life. That’s it. One and done. This is going to be revolutionary.”
Cholesterol can build up in the walls of blood vessels, forming plaques that may eventually rupture and block blood flow.
High levels of LDL cholesterol increase the risk of this buildup, which is why millions of people (over 40 million in the US, and 7 million in the UK) take daily medications like statins to help keep their cholesterol levels under control.
The VERVE-102 clinical trial involved 14 participants with familial hypercholesterolemia: a genetic condition that predisposes people to heart disease, heart attacks and strokes, due to very high LDL cholesterol levels.
Initial results of the VERVE-102 injection indicate that all participants responded well to the medication, with no serious side effects.
Different doses led to different responses; the four individuals given the lowest dose of VERVE-102 saw average reductions in their LDL cholesterol of 21 per cent, while the middle cohort had reductions of 41 per cent, and the highest dose resulted in reductions of 53 per cent.
But one participant, in the high-dose group, reduced their LDL cholesterol by 69 per cent after receiving VERVE-102.
Dr Eugene Braunwald – Distinguished Hersey Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, who was not personally involved in this study – added the initial trial data was “promising” and that it suggested “the potential for a new era of cardiovascular disease treatment.”
Verve is currently recruiting participants in a further stage of their clinical trial, who will receive an even higher dose of VERVE-102, in the UK, Canada, Israel, Australia and New Zealand. It expects to announce its final results in the second half of 2025.
Read more:
- This simple snacking habit could improve your cholesterol levels: new study
- How can I control my cholesterol?
- This cholesterol-lowering drug combo could save hundreds of thousands of lives, claim scientists
About our expert
Prof Riyaz Patel is a consultant cardiologist and clinical academic at University College London (UCL) and Barts Health NHS Trust. Patel is also a fully funded British Heart Foundation clinician scientist and a professor of cardiology at UCL, conducting research into the causes of heart disease, with a focus on cardiovascular risk and the genetics of coronary heart disease. He founded and leads a new cardiovascular prevention service at the Barts Heart Centre.
