Build-up of fat deposits (atherosclerotic plaque) in blood vessels causes cardiovascular disease (CVD), which kills 18 million people annually. The best available medical care today includes smoking cessation, exercise, maintaining healthy weight, controlling diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol, and taking aspirin to prevent blood clots. However, significant risk remains because these treatments do not cure the condition—they only manage factors that contribute to its worsening.
Once the disease progresses, it becomes harder to treat because cholesterol forms complex fatty deposits in artery walls that are difficult to remove. Until now, no drug has been able to safely clear atherosclerotic plaques. ATH01 is a new Australian drug being developed for effective and safe plaque removal. We will now develop it as a first-in-class agent for patients genetically predisposed to atherosclerotic disease, who cannot prevent early and significant plaque accumulation and are at an even higher risk of cardiovascular complications.
