Many individuals at heightened risk for heart disease and heart attacks can adopt protective measures through lifestyle changes or medication. However, one in five people carries a risk factor that is largely unresponsive to conventional interventions.
This gap in medical treatment presents a substantial market opportunity for pharmaceutical companies, which are advancing experimental therapies through late-stage trials—including those from leading contenders like Novartis.
The target is Lp(a), pronounced “L-P-little-A,” a genetic risk factor associated with elevated heart disease risk. Once someone has high Lp(a) levels, lifestyle adjustments and traditional medications offer limited efficacy due to its inherited nature.