Verve Therapeutics Soars 12.27% on Promising Cholesterol Drug Trial Results

On April 14, 2025, Verve Therapeutics' stock surged by 12.27% in pre-market trading, driven by the company's announcement of promising trial results for its cholesterol drug, VERVE-102.

Verve Therapeutics has reported encouraging initial data from the Heart-2 Phase 1b clinical trial of VERVE-102, a single-dose base editing treatment targeting PCSK9 for cardiovascular disease. The trial included 14 participants with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) and/or premature coronary artery disease (CAD). Key findings showed a mean LDL-C reduction of 53% and a maximum reduction of 69% in the highest dose cohort. The treatment was well-tolerated with no treatment-related serious adverse events and no clinically significant changes in liver enzymes or platelets.

The company plans to announce final dose escalation data in the second half of 2025, initiate Phase 2 trials, and receive Eli Lilly's decision on their PCSK9 program opt-in. Verve Therapeutics' proprietary GalNAc-LNP delivery technology has demonstrated a potentially best-in-class safety profile, positioning VERVE-102 competitively against existing PCSK9 inhibitors that require regular dosing. The one-and-done approach addresses the significant medication adherence problem in cardiovascular disease management, where approximately half of patients discontinue prescribed lipid-lowering therapy within a year.