Emerging Role of Ziltivekimab in Residual Inflammatory Cardiovascular Risk: A Comprehensive Narrative Review

Abstract

The cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to be one of the leading causes of mortality in the world in spite of the major advancements in the development of lipid-lowering therapies, as well as preventative cardiology. Accumulating scientific data support the notion that the persistence of vascular inflammation represents a substantial factor contributing to the residual cardiovascular risk of an individual even in the presence of his or her lipids in the target range. Being a pro-inflammatory cytokine, the interleukin-6 (IL-6) is regarded as an important factor influencing all aspects of CVD pathogenesis, including endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis, and thrombosis. Therefore, a novel monoclonal antibody ziltivekimab was developed to inhibit the action of the IL-6 ligand in order to diminish inflammation-induced damage. Ziltivekimab was found to result in a marked decrease in inflammatory bio-markers (hsCRP, fibrinogen, serum amyloid A). Moreover, ziltivekimab was proven to be well-tolerated in patients suffering from chronic kidney disease and thus prone to inflammation. In our presentation, we will review the information on disease and its causes; the pharmacological properties and mechanisms; pharmacological effects and side effects of ziltivekimab observed in clinical trials, and its potential future role in the treatment of CVD.