The HPS2-THRIVE study was a large multi-national, placebo-controlled, randomised trial of extended release niacin plus laropiprant 2g daily versus placebo added to effective background LDL-cholesterol lowering with simvastatin 40mg daily plus ezetimibe 10mg daily, if required. Between 2007 and 2010, 25,673 patients at increased risk of vascular disease were randomised in 240 clinics in six countries: China, UK, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. These patients were followed up for a median of four years in the study clinics while they continued on their randomised treatment and background LDL-lowering treatment. Results were presented at the American College of Cardiology meeting in 2013 and published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2014.
The HPS2-THRIVE study has shown that:
- Allocation to ER niacin/laropiprant reduced LDL-cholesterol by 0.25 mmol/L and increased HDL-cholesterol by 0.16 mmol/L but did not significantly reduce the risk of major vascular events (MVEs i.e. heart attacks, strokes or coronary or non-coronary revascularisation) compared to placebo
- Allocation to ER niacin/laropiprant significantly increased the risk of disturbances in diabetes control and new onset diabetes and serious adverse events associated with the gastrointestinal and musculoskeletal systems, skin and, unexpectedly, both infection and bleeding
- ER Niacin increased the risk of simvastatin-induced myopathy by about 4-fold
- Participants from China are at higher risk of statin-induced myopathy than those from Europe
The results of HPS2-THRIVE led to the withdrawal of ER niacin/laropiprant from the European market and Merck ceased development of the product.
The HPS2-THRIVE trial was funded by a grant to Oxford University from Merck who also provided the background simvastatin and ezetimibe and the packaged ER niacin/laropiprant and matching placebo.
Long-Term Follow-Up
In the UK, we will continue to collect information on health outcomes by obtaining routinely collected data via central data registries and NHS sources. See our Legacy Study Protocol for more information about this long-term follow-up, and our Privacy Notice for information on how we use participant data.
Further information
Main data analysis plan
Data Analysis Plan for assessing clinical efficacy and safety of ER niacin/laropiprant in the HPS2-THRIVE trial
HPS2-THRIVE Legacy Study Privacy Notice
This Privacy Notice is being provided for the participants who took part in the HPS2-THRIVE trial between 2007 and 2012 in UK NHS hospitals. It provides information about how data is collected about you as part of the trial, and how we handle and process it.
THRIVE Q&A about results 2013
HPS2-THRIVE: Questions & Answers
documents
Main study protocol
340 KB, PDF document
HPS2-THRIVE legacy study protocol
298 KB, PDF document
Slide Set of results presented at the ACC - 2013
3 MB, PowerPoint presentation
Slide Set presented at the European Society of Cardiology – 2012
183 KB, Microsoft Office - Presentation