Nice find by JK over on Stockhouse. That is really intersting. Canakinumab (Ilaris, previously ACZ885) is a human monoclonal antibody targeted at interleukin-1 beta. Here is the Novartis news release for the recently announced topline data from the CANTOS study. And here's a nice summary from John Carrol at Endpoint News. Full results will be presented at an upcoming medical congress (ESC 2017 I am guessing).

I can't remember off hand if RVX-208 has been shown to reduce IL-1B. I think it has, but if anyone knows for sure please chime in (BKC has a good memory for this stuff). This study actually is really good proof of princple that reducing inflammation is key to reducing MACE events. This bodes well for RVX-208 in my opinion, since we all know RVX-208 has anti-inflammatory effects. 

Like the PCSK9 antibodies, Canakinumab has a hefty pricetag. The Forbes article that JK linked to states:

"In the new clinical trial, it was be given four times a year, yielding  a price of about $60,000 at current costs....Still, at $60,000 a year, the drug would cost four times more than the new cholesterol drugs, known as PCSK9 inhibitors, made by Amgen and the partnership of Regeneron and Sanofi. At these prices, these drugs have failed to sell, even after data in March that Amgen's drug, Repatha, can prevent heart attacks and strokes."

If BETonMACE shows that a small molecule like RVX-208 that elicits anti-inflammatory effects (as well as other beneficial modes of action) reduces MACE, then it will have much better market penetration than an expensive monoclonal antibody therapy.

BearDownAZ