A randomized trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of alirocumab in South Korea and Taiwan (ODYSSEY KT)

Background: Alirocumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody to proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9, has been shown to provide significant reductions in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Data about its efficacy and safety in patients from South Korea and Taiwan are limited. Objective: ODYSSEY KT assessed the efficacy and safety of alirocumab in patients from South Korea and Taiwan. Methods: Patients with hypercholesterolemia at high cardiovascular risk who were on maximally tolerated statin were randomized (1:1) to alirocumab (75 mg every 2 weeks, with dose increase to 150 mg every 2 weeks at week 12 if LDL-C ≥70 mg/dL at week 8) or placebo for 24 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was percentage change in LDL-C from baseline to week 24. Safety was assessed throughout. Results: At week 24, alirocumab changed LDL-C levels by −57.1% (placebo: +6.3%). In the alirocumab group, 9 patients (9.5%) received dose increase at week 12. At week 24, 85.8% of patients in the alirocumab group reached LDL-C <70 mg/dL (placebo: 14.2%; P ≤ .0001 vs placebo). Alirocumab significantly improved non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C), apolipoprotein B, total cholesterol, lipoprotein (a), and HDL-C vs placebo (P ≤ .05). Two consecutive calculated LDL-C values <25 mg/dL were recorded in 27.8% of alirocumab-treated patients. Overall, 58.8% (alirocumab) and 61.8% (placebo) of patients experienced treatment-emergent adverse events; 2.1% and 1.0% discontinued treatment due to treatment-emergent adverse events, respectively. Conclusion: Alirocumab significantly improved LDL-C, apolipoprotein B, non-HDL-C, lipoprotein (a), HDL-C, and total cholesterol in Asian patients. Alirocumab was generally well tolerated. These findings are consistent with ODYSSEY findings to date.