Antisense Inhibition of Apolipoprotein C-III in Patients with Hypertriglyceridemia

Weekly doses of an antisense inhibitor of apolipoprotein C-III (APOC3) in persons with severe or uncontrolled hypertriglyceridemia resulted in a reduction in APOC3 and triglyceride levels at the end of 13 weeks. Elevated triglyceride levels are associated with several pathologic conditions, including insulin resistance, the metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hereditary disorders, such as the familial chylomicronemia syndrome, familial combined hyperlipidemia, and familial hypertriglyceridemia. 1 , 2 Patients with triglyceride levels above 2000 mg per deciliter (22.6 mmol per liter), measured at the peak of abdominal pain, are at high risk for pancreatitis. 3 , 4 Current guidelines from the Endocrine Society and the European Atherosclerosis Society recommend that fasting triglyceride levels should be maintained at values below 1000 mg per deciliter (11.3 mmol per liter) or 10 mmol per liter, respectively, to prevent intermittent . . .