Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Presents Final Results of Phase II Clinical Trials for AEGR-733 at Drugs Affecting Lipid Metabolism (DALM) 2007 ...( Lead Compound Produces Significant ...),Health

Lead Compound Produces Significant LDL-Cholesterol Reduction and Weight

Loss When Combined with Zetia(R) in Hypercholesterolemic Patients

BRIDGEWATER, N.J., Oct. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, today announced final results of Phase II clinical trials involving its lead cholesterol management compound, an MTP-inhibitor, AEGR-733 either alone or in combination with ezetimibe (brand name: Zetia(R)*). The data were presented in two posters at the XVI International Symposium on Drugs Affecting Lipid Metabolism (DALM) (October 4-7, 2007, New York, NY), jointly sponsored by the Weill Cornell Medical College (New York, NY) and the Giovanni Lorenzini Medical Foundation (Milan, Italy and Houston, TX).

In the study measuring LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C, or "bad cholesterol") reduction, patients treated with a combination 10 mg of ezetimibe and 10 mg AEGR-733 experienced LDL-C reductions of 46%. Patients treated with 10 mg of ezetimibe alone experienced a 20% reduction in LDL-C levels. Significantly greater reductions in total cholesterol, non-HDL-cholesterol, Lp(a), and apoB were observed in the group receiving combined AEGR-733 and ezetimibe. There was no difference in the rate of discontinuations between the groups treated with AEGR-733 plus ezetimibe versus those treated with ezetimibe alone.

In a separate analysis of these data, the ability of AEGR-733 alone or in combination with ezetimibe was assessed for its ability to cause weight loss. Over the course of this study, patients were counseled on a low fat/low cholesterol diet but with no emphasis on total calories or weight reduction. Drug treatment consisted of ezetimibe alone (10 mg), AEGR-733 in escalating doses at 5 mg, then 7.5 mg, then 10 mg, or a combination of the two drugs for 12 weeks. Weight was monitored over the course of the study.

By 12 weeks, subjects rec
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