A single injection of an experimental drug called VERVE-102 can lower cholesterol levels by up to 69 per cent, according to initial clinical trial results that have not yet been peer reviewed.
The treatment could transform heart attack prevention by dramatically reducing LDL cholesterol - the so-called 'bad' cholesterol - with just one injection.
While statins can achieve similar cholesterol reductions, they generally need to be taken daily.
VERVE-102 aims to provide a one-time fix by switching off a specific gene called PCSK9 in the liver, which plays a key role in regulating how much LDL cholesterol the liver can detect and remove from the bloodstream.
Doctors have described the results as 'spectacular'
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The clinical trial involved 14 participants with familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetic condition that predisposes people to heart disease, heart attacks and strokes due to very high LDL cholesterol levels.
Initial results indicate that all participants responded well to the medication, with no serious side effects reported.
Different doses led to varying responses across the trial groups.
The four individuals given the lowest dose of VERVE-102 saw average reductions in their LDL cholesterol of 21 per cent, while the middle cohort experienced reductions of 41 per cent.
The highest dose resulted in reductions of 53 per cent on average, though one participant in the high-dose group achieved a remarkable 69 per cent reduction in their LDL cholesterol after receiving VERVE-102.
Prof Riyaz Patel, an academic cardiologist at University College London and a doctor at Barts Health NHS Trust, which has taken part in the trial, described the results as "spectacular".
"This is the future," Prof Patel told BBC Science Focus. "This is reality; it's not science fiction. We're actually doing it."
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The treatment could transform heart attack prevention
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"This drug turns off a tiny fraction of DNA, and your LDL cholesterol is lower by 50 per cent for the rest of your life. That's it. One and done.
"This is going to be revolutionary," he added. Dr Eugene Braunwald, Distinguished Hersey Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, called the initial trial data "promising" and suggested "the potential for a new era of cardiovascular disease treatment".
Verve is currently recruiting participants for a further stage of their clinical trial in the UK, Canada, Israel, Australia and New Zealand, with final results expected in the second half of 2025.
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