A new international study conducted in collaboration with Monash University has found that the experimental drug ‘IC7Fc’, which earlier studies showed has benefits for type 2 diabetes (T2DM), may also help prevent heart disease by lowering cholesterol and reducing inflammation.
Published in Science Advances, the preclinical study led by Leiden University Medical Centre in the Netherlands has shown that IC7Fc significantly reduced fat (triglycerides) and cholesterol in the blood of mice prone to heart disease.
According to the study, the drug does this by reducing the buildup of fatty plaques in blood vessels and lowering inflammation, both of which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
Professor Mark Febbraio from the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS) says this drug “slows the clogging of arteries”.
“Our earlier studies showed IC7Fc could help manage type 2 diabetes, a metabolic disease.
“This new research shows it can also reduce atherosclerosis, meaning it slows the ‘clogging’ of the arteries, where fatty deposits build up and restrict blood flow to the heart,” says Professor Febbraio.
“Heart disease remains the world’s biggest killer, driven largely by atherosclerosis.
“Even with common treatments that lower blood pressure and cholesterol, many people are still at risk, showing there’s more work to do.”
In earlier studies, IC7Fc was shown to help reduce appetite and body fat in obese mice; however, in this study using lean mice prone to high cholesterol and artery disease, IC7Fc did not change body weight or food intake.
This suggests IC7Fc’s weight-loss effects may mainly apply to obesity, while its heart-protective benefits, like reducing cholesterol buildup in arteries, could still help lean individuals.
The findings highlight IC7Fc’s potential as a versatile treatment and point to the need for further research in humans.
“These results suggest IC7Fc could offer a dual benefit – helping reduce obesity in some, while protecting the heart in others,” says Professor Febbraio.
“It’s an exciting step towards a treatment that targets both metabolic and cardiovascular disease.”
