Crestor Delivers Latest LDL-C Targets in High-Risk Patients at Lower Doses than Other Statins

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Mar 26, 2012, 01:30 ET

LONDON, March 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Results presented from new VOYAGER sub-analysis

This release is INTENDED EXCLUSIVELY FOR EUROPEAN media

AstraZeneca today announced the results of a sub-analysis from the VOYAGER individual patient data meta-analysis, which suggests that achieving an LDL-C goal of <70 mg/dL or >50% reduction in LDL-C levels in patients at high risk requires aggressive statin therapy. These goals reflect the latest European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) Guidelines for the Management of Dyslipidaemias. Results showed that a significantly greater percentage of patients achieved this goal with CRESTOR™ (rosuvastatin) than with equal or double doses of atorvastatin (Lipitor®) or simvastatin. These findings were presented at the 2012 International Symposium on Atherosclerosis in Sydney, Australia.

This sub-analysis was designed to determine the percentage of high-risk patients treated with rosuvastatin 10-40 mg, atorvastatin 10-80 mg or simvastatin 10-80 mg who achieved this recommended LDL-C goal. Additional findings from the VOYAGER sub-analysis included:

As statin dose increased, a higher percentage of patients achieved LDL-C <70 mg/dL or >50% LDL-C reduction.
Statistically significant differences (all p<0.001)were observed across a range of statin therapy comparisons, including:
Rosuvastatin 10mg vs atorvastatin 10-20mg and simvastatin 10-20mg
Rosuvastatin 20mg vs atorvastatin 20-40mg and simvastatin 20-80mg
Rosuvastatin 40mg vs atorvastatin 40-80mg and simvastatin 40-80mg

Percentage of high-risk patients achieving LDL-C goal

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20120326/521032 )

"These data reinforce CRESTOR as an important medication that helps get high-risk patients to recommended treatment targets" said Russ Esterline, VP Global Product Development Cardiovascular, AstraZeneca. "Additionally, these favourable results add to the wealth of data that demonstrate CRESTOR is well positioned in the market to remain a statin of choice for physicians treating patients at increased-risk."

Guidelines continue to stress the importance of achieving aggressive LDL-C treatment goals in higher risk patients and the important role of statins in achieving these goals. Under the recently updated ESC/EAS guidelines, target LDL-C goals have become more stringent, particularly for patients with established cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes and for other patients classified as being at very high risk of a primary or secondary cardiovascular event.The ESC/EAS guidelines recommend that clinicians should aim for LDL-C levels below <3.0 mmol/L (~115 mg/dL) in moderate risk patients, <2.5 mmol/L (~100 mg/dL) in high-risk patients and <1.8 mmol/L (~70 mg/dL) and/or at least 50 percent reduction in levels if this target cannot be reached in very high-risk patients.

CRESTOR has been researched extensively for over 13 years, including 120 clinical trials of more than 67,000 patients worldwide from more than 55 countries.

NOTES TO EDITORS

VOYAGER (An indiVidual patient data meta-analysis Of statin therapY in At risk Groups: Effects of Rosuvastatin, atorvastatin and simvastatin) is a unique individual patient data meta-analysis of 32 258 patients from 37 randomised studies comparing the lipid modifying effects of rosuvastatin with that of atorvastatin and simvastatin. The patients include almost 9,000 with diabetes and over 15,000 with atherosclerotic disease.

CRESTOR has now received regulatory approvals in over 109 countries. Worldwide, doctors have written nearly 330 million prescriptions for CRESTOR.Data from clinical trials and real world use shows that the safety profile for rosuvastatin is in line with that of other marketed statins.

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business with a primary focus on the discovery, development and commercialisation of prescription medicines for gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory and inflammation, oncology and infectious disease. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. For more information please visit: http://www.astrazeneca.com

SOURCE AstraZeneca