Silence Therapeutics isn’t staying mum about the need for broader awareness of the risks associated with heightened levels of lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a). A new campaign launched by the drugmaker this week aims to improve education around Lp(a) and encourage more widespread testing.
Lp(a) is a variant of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the so-called “bad cholesterol.” Like LDL, elevated levels of Lp(a) can significantly increase an individual’s risk of cardiovascular disease. But while some people with high LDL can lower those levels by incorporating a healthy diet and exercise, increased Lp(a) is purely a genetic condition and can’t be treated with lifestyle changes.
There are currently no drugs approved by the FDA specifically to reduce Lp(a). The agency has OK’d lipoprotein apheresis, a dialysis-like treatment, to remove excess Lp(a) and LDL from the blood, but its use is limited only to a subset of patients who have been diagnosed with both familial hypercholesterolemia and coronary or other artery disease and who have elevated levels of both LDL and Lp(a). That excludes many people with high Lp(a), who may be completely healthy otherwise.
Silence is among the drugmakers currently in the process of developing therapies to treat the stealthy condition. In the meantime, the company has kicked off an educational initiative to help the estimated 20% of the population who are affected better understand the impact of heightened Lp(a), get tested and talk to their doctors about ways to reduce other cardiovascular risk factors.
The “Music to My Lp(a)” campaign uses a range of musical instruments, tempos and volumes to represent not only varying levels of Lp(a), but also other cardiovascular risk factors. The resulting pieces of music are meant to symbolize the symphony of factors that can impact an individual’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
According to Silence, music has been known to activate areas of the brain linked to memory and emotional responses, making it a promising tool for a campaign designed to raise awareness and provide information.
The campaign features three stanzas, signifying low (normal), elevated and high levels of Lp(a), all of which were composed by Mark Wood, an Emmy-winning electric violinist and music educator. In each, Lp(a) is represented by strings and electric violin, while the drums, guitar, French horn, piano and flute stand in for family history, blood pressure, diabetes, LDL level and coronary artery calcium, respectively. Depending on the combination of those factors, each stanza’s volume and tempo increase alongside overall cardiovascular disease risk.
All three of the musical pieces can be heard on the Music to My Lp(a) website, where they act as the soundtrack to a series of short videos that provide more information about Lp(a) and its risks, and about the compositions themselves.
In addition to the trio of stanzas, the campaign site also features a behind-the-scenes video about the making of the campaign and its musical pieces, as well as information about Lp(a) and patient profiles that highlight the risk factors, path to diagnosis and current management plan for several individuals with various levels of Lp(a).
Silence’s lead asset, zerlasiran, is currently in phase 2 trials assessing its ability to lower Lp(a). Earlier this summer, the company shared 48-week results that it said demonstrated a “highly significant reduction” in Lp(a) levels compared to baseline. Participants received zerlasiran either in a 300 mg dose every 16 or 24 weeks, or in a 450 mg dose every 24 weeks. At the 48-week point, both dosage groups saw a median maximum Lp(a) reduction of 90%, with no serious safety concerns observed.
The trial is continuing on through week 60, but it has already achieved its primary endpoint of significantly reducing Lp(a) after 36 weeks. In the June announcement, Steven Romano, M.D., the company’s head of R&D, said Silience is "encouraged by the strength of the phase 2 data and emerging competitive profile of zerlasiran, which support an infrequent dosing regimen of at least quarterly with the 300 mg dose.”
He added, “We look forward to advancing zerlasiran to phase 3 as a potential treatment for this major unmet need in cardiovascular disease.”