FACT-MASTER
2 days ago
Thanks for posting on st, some good responses.
Today's posts from Bear and meistermell i found very interesting, although not direct responses, their posts are more directed to the "next steps" beyond having the IP / claims / descriptions etc. for BA/GLP-1 combo in place. From their posts today, it sounds like there has been more pre-clinical work done that most are unaware of.
I would hypothesize as well that a sNDA ( supplemental New Drug Application) application is a strong possibility as well, since in this instance both BA + GLP-1 are already FDA approved for their respective indications. If the sNDA were possible, that could significantly reduce the timeline for approval of a new indication, in this instance a new liver indication. Article here on Supplemental Drug Approval Process - however it's a bit old, but i see a nice example of Darzalex from Dr. McKee getiing a second approval in 1 year and a third in another 7 months after the intial FDA approval.
https://ascopost.com/issues/december-25-2017/fda-helps-streamline-approval-process-for-supplemental-drug-indications/
Anyways, that's as far as i will go on hypothesis, the new indication has many angles it could go, best to just wait and see what SK has to say on R&D day.
Would be huge to see Eli-Lilly take an equity stake in ESPR via offering, say 15 million shares at $5.00/share.- i'm probably dreaming here on a Sunday afternoon. (lol)
FACT-MASTER
4 days ago
ESPR April 18/25: FORM S-3 REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933.
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1434868/000110465925036348/tm2512507-1_s3.htm
EXCERPT1
"The information discussed above is illustrative only and will adjust based on the actual public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing.
The table and discussion above are based on 197,846,661 shares of our common stock outstanding as of December 31, 2024. The number of shares outstanding as of December 31, 2024 excludes:
• 5,177,511 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of stock options outstanding as of December 31, 2024, at a weighted average exercise price of $8.70 per share as of such date;
• 632,950 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise and achievement of the performance criteria of our performance-based stock options outstanding as of December 31, 2024, at a weighted average exercise price of $4.97 per share as of such date;
• 4,447,074 shares of our common stock issuable upon the vesting of restricted stock units;
• 6,389,494 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended, as of December 31, 2024;
• 1,167,707 shares of our common stock reserved for future issuance under our Amended and Restated 2013 Stock Option and Incentive Plan and our 2017 Inducement Equity Plan, as amended, as of December 31, 2024; and
• 26,071,429 shares of our common stock issuable upon the exercise of outstanding warrants.
To the extent that any options are exercised, new options are issued under our 2022 Stock Option and Incentive Plan, as amended, and our 2017 Inducement Equity Plan as of December 31, 2022, or we otherwise issue additional shares of common stock in the future (including shares issued in connection with acquisitions), there will be further dilution to new investors.
In addition, we may choose to raise additional capital due to market conditions or strategic considerations, even if we believe we have sufficient funds for our current or future operating plans. To the extent that additional capital is raised through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the issuance of these securities could result in further dilution to our stockholders."
FACT-MASTER
5 days ago
EXCERPT 3
"[0301] Perhaps most importantly, in this study, it was found that combining bempedoic acid with liraglutide resulted in reductions in fibrosis. These pathological findings were supported by transcriptome data indicating combination therapy reduced extracellular matrix synthesis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, myofibroblast regulation, focal adhesion kinase, and collagen biosynthesis and modification. This is of great importance as, to date, neither liraglutide or semaglutide have shown efficacy at reducing fibrosis stage in patients with NASH. Furthermore, the analyses revealed that a potentially unique effect of bempedoic acid may be due to its effects on countering Lira-induced increases in the TGF-R activated transcription factor Smad3, which is a critical driver of fibrosis. (Schwabe et al.; Mechanisms of Fibrosis Development in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis .; Gastroenterology [Internet]. 2020;158(7): 1913-28.) As the GLP-1R is not expressed on hepatic stellate cells (Yabut and Drucker.; Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor-based Therapeutics for Metabolic Liver Disease. Endocr Rev."
FACT-MASTER
5 days ago
EXCERPT 2
"[0294] Hepatic stellate cells are critical for driving liver fibrosis and therefore the expression of key markers implicated in NASH progression were explored. (Payen et al. ; Single-cell RNA sequencing of human liver reveals hepatic stellate cell heterogeneity.', JHEP Reports [Internet].; 2021; 3(3): 100278.) Consistently, markers of activated stellate cells (Collal, Colla2, ColSal, Lox, Timpl ) were significantly reduced in the Lira+BemA treatment groups to a greater extent than monotherapies of Lira or BemA (FIG. 3D). Interestingly, BemA appeared to counteract Lira-induced upregulation of TGFP effectors, including Smad3, a transcription factor critical for upregulating fibrotic pathways in NASH (FIG. 8B). Moreover, combination therapy generally reduced the expression of several chemokines implicated in NASH progression greater than Lira or BemA treatment alone (FIG. 3E). Collectively, these data indicate that combination therapy with Lira+BemA induces an anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory gene-expression profile that is predictive of reduced liver pathology (steatosis, ballooning, and fibrosis).
Combination Treatment Induces a Prognostically Favorable Gene Expression Profile That Most Closely Resembles Those from Healthy Human Liver Biopsies
[0295] In humans a 25-gene signature has been established to be predictive of NASH severity (Govaere et al. 2020). Therefore, to contextualize the clinical significance of the experimental therapies, an integrative analysis combining the expression data of 22 orthologous genes derived from the treatment cohorts with the expression data derived from 216 NAFLD/NASH patients was performed. Combination treatment significantly downregulated the expression of 13 genes in this prognostic signature. Hierarchical clustering using Pearson correlation reveals four clusters with differential compositions of healthy individuals, patients with pre-fibrotic (NAFLD, F0-F1) or fibrotic (F2-F4) disease and the experimental cohorts (FIG. 4A). Cluster II exhibits the most clinically benign phenotype. 80% of healthy individuals in the patient derived dataset are represented in this cluster compared to 7.55%, 1.85% and 0% of patients with F2, F3 and F4 stages of disease (FIG. 4B). It was found that 4 out of 6 of the combination treatment samples colocalized in this cluster while monotherapy treatment samples are mostly grouped in clusters I and II which exhibit more advanced disease. Using PCA, the progressive resolution of NASH in human patients on PCI is shown (FIG. 4C). Mapping the control, monotherapy, and combination treatment cohorts with human NASH disease stages further supports the increased
transcriptional similarity between healthy individuals and combination treatment samples beyond what can be achieved using Lira and BemA alone."
https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/WO2025014754
FACT-MASTER
5 days ago
ESPR: April 2025 Corporate Presentation
https://www.esperion.com/static-files/a59ef921-0969-487f-98c6-de85c5c57cc6
Nice presentation.
Slide 18 pipeline "hepatic disease" = could be a wide variety of liver conditions.
Nice write up here on liver/liver conditions
https://www.webmd.com/fatty-liver-disease/liver-and-hepatic-diseases
EXCERPT1
"Liver Disease FAQs
What are common diseases of the liver?
MASLD, cirrhosis, and hepatitis.
What are the first signs of a bad liver?
Early liver disease doesn’t usually cause any symptoms. If you notice that the whites of your eyes or you skin are starting to look yellow, there may be something wrong with your liver.
What are the most serious liver diseases?
All liver diseases are serious, but cirrhosis is quite serious. Once the liver gets scars, it can’t work properly.
What is the first stage of liver disease?
The first stage of liver disease is fatty liver disease. This is when you get fat inside the liver."
FACT-MASTER
1 week ago
Level II ask stacked as far as the eye can see!
Looks like dilution on the way, no way out of this - we going down.
Can only think of one reason for that - some sort of acquisition.
We being the dumbasses holding all the worthless paper ESPR shares.
Seen this story all too aften, everybody talking about the great opportunity to "buy more". There is no way "wall street" would miss an opportunity like this, this is a failure on a macro scale and just a matter of time now before the ship sinks out of sight, - suspect dilution for acquisition with R/S later this year, imo. Sorry for the negative bro, just calling it the way i see it - no way out of ESPR without a loss.
Holding and will go down with ship - ouch.
Wasatch - wow!
FACT-MASTER
3 months ago
Amgen released 4th quarter details today with a significant increase in sales of Repatha:
https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/amgen-profit-beats-estimates-next-maritide-studies-start-by-mid-year-2025-02-04/
"The company's fourth-quarter sales of Prolia, also known as denosumab, rose 5% to $1.2 billion. Sales of cholesterol-lowering medication Repatha rose 45% to $606 million, while sales of arthritis drug Enbrel were flat at $1 billion."
Amgen's numbers are impressive imo. ESPR mgmt. is wasting valuable time in getting their marketing strategy going,,,,well, i guess that could be a matter of perspective, eg: sk may be thinking "nascar" is great,, however, imo, nothing is working for ESPR, and sk doesn't care.
FACT-MASTER
3 months ago
Not sure, decided to stop watching and focus on my work related projects and goals - much more satisfying.
Haven't sold any ESPR, and am the type that will go down with the ship ( if necessary, but hope not).
I only skim through the st board now, however i like the idea with Cramer video, and analysts putting forth more blunt questioning at ESPR's quarterly calls. ( think that was Canyon)
I was reading one post by Gary where he elaborated on buying in the 20's and then averaging down to the 2's. I wonder if this is / was the case with institutions as well, and thus a possible reason for the huge issuance of shares, especially in 2024 - to assist institutions in lowering their average cost base on their ESPR share holdings.
As is the case more often then i like, time will tell here.
FACT-MASTER
3 months ago
and yet more on ACLY inhibition going on at Espervita in the area of liver cancer https://www.espervita.com/science.php ( Gregory Steinberg, PhD - founder), former Esperion founder Roger Newton. https://www.espervita.com/about.php and 2 more Esperion founders, keep reading the last weblink, i'm going to get timed out here in a second.
This Canadian connection is mind boggling, however the dots are connecting now with the OMERS deal, and the convertible financing and everything Canadian.
Now if we can just get that connection with Denmark ( Novo Nordisk) , the story could get very interesting here with ESPR. Being a European based company NVO would know first hand about the uptick in European BA sales going on at DSE.
https://companiesmarketcap.com/cad/novo-nordisk/marketcap/
omg here comes our waitress, gotta run.
FACT-MASTER
3 months ago
last one here for now:
"In summary, the current study demonstrates that combining BemA with Lira leads to greater percentage of reductions in liver pathology, most notably ballooning and fibrosis, compared with monotherapy in a mouse model of metabolic-associated NASH. These findings support further investigation and potential development of this combinatorial therapy to treat obesity, insulin resistance, hypercholesterolemia, steatohepatitis, and fibrosis in people with NASH."
https://www.cell.com/cell-reports-medicine/fulltext/S2666-3791(23)00360-9
Just not sure if this would be a Supplemental new indication application or a regular IND.
Be interesting to see/hear if any of the information in this study is mentioned at the KOL event next week.
FACT-MASTER
3 months ago
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Dr. Thomas J. Hawke for access to the upright microscope and Dr. Jonathan D. Schertzer for access to and Dr. Nicole G. Barra for calibration of the Bio-Plex instrument. This research was supported by grants awarded to G.R.S. from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (201709FDN-CEBA-116200), Diabetes Canada (DI-5-17-5302), Esperion Therapeutics, a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair, and a J. Bruce Duncan Endowed Chair in Metabolic Diseases. E.M.D. and J.W. are Canada Vanier scholars. L.K.T. and B.B. are funded by Canadian Institutes of Health Research postdoctoral fellowships.
Author contributions
G.R.S. and S.L.P. developed the original concept of the study. E.M.D., D.C.T.L., M.R.M., E.E.T., D.W., L.K.T., and B.B. performed the experiments. E.A. and J.M.K. completed blinded assessment of liver pathology scoring. J.W. and R.F. performed transcriptome analysis. J.S.V.L. provided intellectual contributions. E.M.D. and J.W. analyzed data. E.M.D., J.W., and G.R.S. wrote the manuscript. All authors provided comments and approved of the final manuscript.
Declaration of interests
G.R.S. has received research funding from Esperion Therapeutics, Nestle, Cambrian Biosciences, Novo Nordisk, Poxel Pharmaceuticals, and Espervita Therapeutics; honoraria and/or consulting fees from Astra Zeneca, Cambrian Biosciences, Eli-Lilly, Esperion Therapeutics, Fibrocor Therapeutics, Poxel Therapeutics, and Merck; and is a founder and shareholder of Espervita Therapeutics. S.L.P. is an employee and shareholder of Esperion Therapeutics.
https://www.cell.com/cell-reports-medicine/fulltext/S2666-3791(23)00360-9
FACT-MASTER
3 months ago
Targeted gene expression profiling identifies additive downregulation of fibrosis-related molecular pathways that are predictive of NASH resolution
To determine the transcriptional differences between our treatment cohorts, we examined the expression of 760 genes implicated in 49 fibrosis-related pathways using the nCounter Fibrosis v.2 Panel. Differential expression analysis comparing Lira, BemA, and combination treatment to vehicle controls yielded 249, 132, and 263 differentially expressed genes, respectively (Figures S2A; Table S1). Combination treatment resulted in the greatest number of downregulated genes, significantly reducing the expression of 172 genes compared with 97 and 86 by Lira and BemA alone, respectively. Of these, 56 genes were uniquely altered by combination treatment, 113 genes overlapped between all treatment cohorts, and 3 genes were upregulated by Lira but downregulated in the combination cohort (Figures S2B; Table S2). Conversely, 8 genes were uniquely upregulated by combination treatment (Figure S2C). Over-representation analysis of the uniquely downregulated and overlapping genes, which we defined as additive if the effect size was largest in the combination treatment cohort, identified seven disease processes of interest related to inflammation, fibrosis, and wound healing (Figures S2D; Table S3). Next, we utilized a more comprehensive approach to identify gene sets altered by combination treatment by using all genes in the nCounter panel (Figure S2E).31 Combination treatment led to reductions across 17 pathways with hierarchical clustering identifying reductions in overarching disease processes related to fibrosis (e.g., collagen biosynthesis and modification, myofibroblast regulation), inflammation (e.g., chemokine signaling, cytokine signaling), and wound healing (e.g., phagocytic cell function, angiogenesis), which was consistent with pathway annotation analysis (Figure 3A).
FACT-MASTER
3 months ago
Collectively, Lira+BemA led to greater percent reductions and lower p values for steatosis, ballooning, NAS, PSR, and sPLA2 compared with Lira monotherapy. Notably, Lira+BemA almost completely attenuated hepatocyte ballooning, and this was the primary contributor to the greater percentage reduction in NAS with combination treatment. These data suggest BemA may have additive effects with Lira toward improving liver pathology.
FACT-MASTER
3 months ago
Combination of Lira and BemA results in additive benefits on liver steatosis, ballooning, and fibrosis
In comparison to the vehicle group, Lira and Lira+BemA reduced the percentage of liver fat by 36% and 47%, respectively (Figure 2A), and triglycerides by 69% and 81%, respectively (Figure 2B). Consistent with these observations, steatosis scores from H&E sections were reduced with Lira (63%) and Lira+BemA treatments (74%) (Figures 2C and 2D). Hepatocellular ballooning scores were reduced with Lira by 56% and with Lira+BemA by a remarkable 94% (Figures 2C and 2E). Lira and Lira+BemA reduced lobular inflammation scores to a similar degree (~50%) (Figures 2C and 2F). In sum, the NAFLD activity score (NAS) was reduced by 56% by Lira and by 75% by Lira+BemA (NAS; Figure 2G). Importantly, Lira and Lira+BemA treatment groups reduced fibrosis area assessed using PSR (40% and 44%, respectively) (Figures 2C and 2H) and had fewer (Lira: 1 of 9) or no (Lira+BemA: 0 of 9) moderate zone 3 perisinusoidal fibrosis compared with vehicle-treated mice (4 of 8) (Figures 2C and 2I).
FACT-MASTER
3 months ago
ESPR: Publication of interest
( feel free to post on st )
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37585218/
Abstract
Importance: Adenosine triphosphate citrate lyase (ACLY) is a key regulatory enzyme of glucose metabolism, cholesterol and fatty acid synthesis, and the inflammatory cascade. Bempedoic acid, an ACLY inhibitor, significantly reduces atherogenic lipid markers, including low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B. Additional effects of ACLY inhibition include antitumor growth; reduction of triglycerides and proinflammatory molecules such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein; less insulin resistance; reduction of hepatic lipogenesis; and weight loss.
Observations: While numerous ACLY inhibitors have been identified, most of the clinical data have focused on bempedoic acid. The Cholesterol Lowering via Bempedoic Acid, an ACL-Inhibiting Regimen (CLEAR) program was a series of phase 3 clinical trials that evaluated its effects on lipid parameters and safety, leading to US Food and Drug Administration approval in 2020. CLEAR Outcomes was a phase 3, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in individuals with a history of statin intolerance, serum LDL-C level of 100 mg/dL or higher, and a history of, or at high risk for, cardiovascular disease. Bempedoic acid modestly reduced the primary 4-way cardiovascular composite end point as well as the individual components of myocardial infarction and coronary revascularization but did not reduce stroke, cardiovascular death, or all-cause mortality. Rates of gout and cholelithiasis were higher with bempedoic acid, and small increases in serum creatinine, uric acid, and hepatic-enzyme levels were also observed.
Conclusions and relevance: ACLY inhibition with bempedoic acid has been established as a safe and effective therapy in high-risk patients who require further LDL-C lowering, particularly for those with a history of statin intolerance. The recently published CLEAR Outcomes trial revealed modest reductions in cardiovascular events with bempedoic acid, proportional to its LDL-C lowering, in high-risk individuals with statin intolerance and LDL-C levels of 100 mg/dL or higher. The additional effects of ACLY inhibition have prompted a more thorough search for novel ACLY inhibitors for conditions such as cancer, hypertriglyceridemia, chronic inflammation, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. Similarly, therapies that reduce fatty acid synthesis are being explored for their use in cardiometabolic conditions.
FACT-MASTER
3 months ago
ESPR: Press Release January 9/24
https://www.esperion.com/news-releases/news-release-details/esperion-host-virtual-key-opinion-leader-event-wednesday-january
Esperion to Host Virtual Key Opinion Leader Event on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. ET.
January 9, 2025
PDF Version
Back to Newsroom
– Leading Physician Expert to Discuss Continued Unmet Need in LDL-Cholesterol Management to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease –
ANN ARBOR, Mich., Jan. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Esperion (NASDAQ: ESPR) today announced it will host a virtual key opinion leader (KOL) event to discuss the real-world use of NEXLETOL® (bempedoic acid) and NEXLIZET® (bempedoic acid and ezetimibe).
The event will be led by LeAnne Bloedon, VP, Head of Clinical Development at Esperion and will feature a discussion with:
Patrick Moriarty, M.D., Professor of Medicine at The University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas and Director of Clinical Pharmacology at the Atherosclerosis & Lipid-Apheresis Center.
Registration for the KOL webinar can be found here. A live audio webcast can be accessed on the investor and media section of the Esperion website. Access to the webcast replay will be available approximately two hours after completion of the call and will be archived on the Company's website for approximately 90 days.
Esperion Therapeutics
Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. is a commercial stage biopharmaceutical company focused on bringing new medicines to market that address unmet needs of patients and healthcare professionals. The Company developed and is commercializing the only U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved oral, once-daily, non-statin medicines for patients who are at risk for cardiovascular disease and are struggling with elevated low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). These medications are supported by the nearly 14,000 patient CLEAR Cardiovascular Outcomes Trial. Esperion continues to build on its success with its next generation program which is focused on developing ATP citrate lyase inhibitors (ACLYi). New insights into the structure and function of ACLYi fully enables rational drug design and the opportunity to develop highly potent and specific inhibitors with allosteric mechanisms.
Esperion continues to evolve into a leading global biopharmaceutical company through commercial execution, international partnerships and collaborations and advancement of its pre-clinical pipeline. For more information, visit esperion.com and esperionscience.com and follow Esperion on LinkedIn and X.
Esperion Contact Information:
Investors:
Alina Venezia
investorrelations@esperion.com
(734) 887-3903
Media:
Tiffany Aldrich
corporateteam@esperion.com
(616) 443-8438
FACT-MASTER
3 months ago
Interesting what was not said in yesterday's news release here:
What are your goals for 2025?
I have three goals for 2025 that will lead us into an even brighter future. First, to continue to inform healthcare providers about our currently marketed products as well as expanding patient access and education for patients on their treatment options for uncontrolled LDL cholesterol.
Nothing new here, just staus quo, Nascar?
Second, continue to solidify our presence outside the U.S. by working with current partners and launching into other desirable world markets.
What? no mention of working within the U.S.? Does this mean that we can expect an announcement next week at the JP Morgan conference regarding a U.S.,/ North American, ( maybe Aussies too) partnership?? That would make sense given the way this statement has been made.
(current partners = DS = outside U.S./North America
Third, expanding our portfolio both through new partnerships and our Next Gen Program, which is exploring new therapeutic opportunities in ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY) biology, with the goal to develop next-generation inhibitors optimized to address multiple life-threatening diseases.
imo, this means a "new" partner that will partner ( with funding) for the Next Gen Program - likely the same partner that partner's up for U.S./North American territorries.
#1 and #2 are basically done,or require little management from ESPR, #3 can be accomplished by one action of acquiring a big pharma company partner for firstly, the nexlizet/nexletol/ba territories of the U.S./North America, and then secondly, the same partner to fund the Next Gen ba Program. I suspect a U.S based partner, Merck or Pfizer - - just a best guess, imo.
FACT-MASTER
3 months ago
ESPR: Article of interest January 6/24
(thank you Gary st)
https://www.biopharmadive.com/spons/an-evolution-in-leadership-and-vision-for-this-pharma-company/735711/
An evolution in leadership and vision for this pharma company
Published Jan. 6, 2025
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Abstract background to represent molecules.
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Esperion Therapeutics
Sponsored content
By Esperion Therapeutics
About four years ago, Sheldon Koenig was thinking about retiring. After spending decades in leadership roles at different pharmaceutical companies, he’d led a successful career focused largely on cardiovascular therapeutics. Along the way, he’d endured his own personal challenges with health—including a battle with cancer, which led him to discover he also had high cholesterol.
But before he made the decision to leave the workforce, he was offered a job with Esperion Therapeutics and saw the potential to make an even greater impact on heart health. “The opportunity to lead a company with both the challenges and the potential to provide a much-needed alternative to current treatments in cardiology was too great to turn down,” says Koenig. He joined the company as chief operating officer in 2020 and in 2021 was promoted to president and chief executive officer.
The years that he’s been at the helm of Esperion have been a period of transformation for the company, which recently received FDA approval for broad new label expansions for its products. Koenig sat down with BioPharma Dive to talk about what’s changed—and what’s next—with the ever-evolving Esperion.
What drew you to working at Esperion in 2020?
I have been fortunate to spend most of my professional career working in cardiovascular health and it is a personal passion of mine to bring life-saving medicines to patients in need. People forget that cardiovascular disease remains the No. 1 cause of death for both men and women in the U.S. and worldwide. At Sanofi S.A., I served as senior vice president and head of the cardiovascular franchise. Prior to that, I was vice president and global brand leader for the cardiovascular division of Merck & Co. taking on roles of increasing responsibility within the company’s cardiovascular and thrombosis franchises.
CEO Sheldon Koenig
Esperion CEO, Sheldon Koenig
However, it is my own battle with cancer, where I have truly witnessed the transformative power of medical breakthroughs and the invaluable role they play in prolonging and improving the lives of countless individuals. This personal connection has only strengthened my resolve to contribute to the advancement of medical knowledge and the development of progressive treatments.
When I was approached by Esperion, I was serving as executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Portola Pharmaceuticals until it was acquired by Alexion in August 2020. At that time, I was toying with the idea of retirement, but when I was presented with the Esperion opportunity it made me realize I still had more to accomplish.
How has your experience with cancer, and your overall health journey, shaped you as a business leader?
Ironically, it was while I was under treatment for cancer that my oncologist recommended I see a cardiologist about my high LDL cholesterol. From my professional experience I was well aware of the risks of elevated LDL. Today, I can speak with customers, investors and colleagues not only about the strong science behind our brands but also from my personal experience and success taking an Esperion product, myself.
Since becoming president and CEO in 2021, what are some of your proudest accomplishments?
While there have been many accomplishments leading up to 2024, this has been a truly transformational year for the company. First, we received FDA approval for an expanded label for our products that significantly increased the potential patient population of the previous highly restrictive indication. Simultaneous with pursuing the expanded label approval, we doubled Esperion’s existing sales force to prepare for the launch of the expanded indications. We also developed and launched an innovative and primarily digital marketing campaign to target and reach the widest possible audience of healthcare providers and patients utilizing impactful characters known as the “Lipid Lurkers.”
Outside the U.S., we also solidified our relationship with our European partner, Daiichi Sankyo Europe (DSE), which led to DSE obtaining a label expansion for both brands in Europe. In Japan, our partner, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals, met the primary endpoint in Phase 3 clinical trials, moving the approval forward for that country. These are all exciting developments that illustrate how Esperion is poised for growth.
What are your goals for 2025?
I have three goals for 2025 that will lead us into an even brighter future. First, to continue to inform healthcare providers about our currently marketed products as well as expanding patient access and education for patients on their treatment options for uncontrolled LDL cholesterol. Second, continue to solidify our presence outside the U.S. by working with current partners and launching into other desirable world markets. Third, expanding our portfolio both through new partnerships and our Next Gen Program, which is exploring new therapeutic opportunities in ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY) biology, with the goal to develop next-generation inhibitors optimized to address multiple life-threatening diseases.
Looking further ahead, what’s your vision for Esperion?
Esperion is priming to become more than a cardiovascular company by exploring broad spectrum opportunities in categories with no current standard of care. While I can’t say too much on that topic yet, I can say that what lies ahead is incredibly exciting.
In the more immediate future, we are thrilled to be presenting at the 2025 JPM Healthcare Conference. Esperion will have some news to share, including details on our upcoming R&D Day in the spring and developments in our pipeline. We look forward to meeting other innovators in the industry at the conference. For those who are unable to attend, our presentation will be available to anyone through a link on esperion.com.
Esperion discovers, develops and commercializes innovative medicines to help improve outcomes for patients with or at risk for cardiovascular and cardiometabolic diseases. To learn more visit esperion.com and esperionscience.com.
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