STAT+: Ionis wins FDA approval for a rare disease therapy that lowers triglycerides

Ionis Pharmaceuticals on Thursday won Food and Drug Administration approval for a therapy that treats patients with a rare and deadly genetic disease that impedes the body’s ability to break down fats, setting the stage for the company to kick off the first solo drug launch in its 35-year history.

The treatment, Tryngolza, also known by its scientific name of olezarsen, was approved for patients with familial chylomicronemia syndrome, or FCS, on the basis of late-stage trial results showing the therapy lowered triglyceride levels and was generally safe. Patients on the drug were also less likely to develop an inflamed pancreas, an excruciating and sometimes life-threatening complication.

Ionis executives believe the drug could also help patients with more common forms of sky-high triglycerides and have ongoing trials aiming to show that. If the drug is approved for more common conditions, market analysts have forecasted that Tryngolza could bring in $1.8 to $2 billion in peak sales.

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