The Montreal Heart Institute stands out at the prestigious European Society of Cardiology congress

During the prestigious virtual congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC), researchers from the Montreal Heart Institute (MHI) presented recent data regarding the impact of colchicine on cardiovascular disease.

These three new analyses from the COLCOT (COLchicine Cardiovascular Outcomes Trial) clinical trial confirm the benefits of colchicine, an inexpensive and already available drug, to prevent cardiovascular events in patients who survived a heart attack, also known as myocardial infarction (MI).

Risk of Future Cardiovascular Events Reduced by 48%

The first analysis shows that early in-hospital initiation of low-dose colchicine treatment within three days of myocardial infarction (MI), in addition to standard treatments, significantly reduces the risk of future ischemic cardiovascular events by 48% compared to placebo¹.

A More Personalized Approach to Inflammation Reduction in the Prevention of Cardiovascular Events

The second analysis examined the role of genetic markers in identifying patients that may benefit from colchicine treatment following an MI. It demonstrated that there are credible genetic variants associated with cardiovascular endpoints and gastrointestinal disorders among patients. Thus, the study confirms that some of them could benefit from a more personalized approach to inflammation reduction in the prevention of cardiovascular events².

“Colchicine is a remarkably cost-effective and well-tolerated medication with anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties,” said Dr. Jean-Claude Tardif, Director of the Research Center at the Montreal Heart Institute, Professor of Medicine at the University of Montreal, and COLCOT and COLCORONA primary investigator. “These new data not only support the benefits of colchicine in patients with coronary disease but strengthen our belief that the drug may also be a significant asset in the global fight against COVID-19 by reducing inflammatory storms in patients with the disease, preventing hospitalizations and even deaths.”

Colchicine, a Potential Drug in the Fight Against COVID-19

Colchicine is currently being evaluated in the COLCORONA clinical trial. This trial, which is taking place at several sites around the world, aims to determine the therapeutic benefit of the drug as a treatment to prevent complications and deaths related to COVID-19. Out-of-hospital patients over 40 years of age diagnosed with COVID-19 can participate free by calling 1-877-536-6837 at any time. Once enrolled, they will receive the drug or placebo directly to their home and will be supported by a dedicated team at all times. COLCORONA is an at-home, contact-less clinical trial approved by health authorities. It has been designed to have a minimal burden on patients and is one of the few current trials on COVID-19 infection in which non-hospitalized individuals can participate.

About the COLchicine Cardiovascular Outcomes Trial (COLCOT)

Colchicine is an orally administered anti-inflammatory medication that is currently indicated for the management of pericarditis, gout, familial Mediterranean fever. COLCOT, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, investigator-initiated trial comparing colchicine 0.5 mg once daily with placebo on top of standard of care in a 1:1 ratio across 167 sites in 12 countries. The study demonstrated that colchicine significantly reduced the risk of a first ischemic cardiovascular event and the risk of total ischemic cardiovascular events by 23% and 34%, respectively, when added to standard therapy in patients with MI³.

About COLCORONA

COLCORONA is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. It was initiated by Dr. Jean-Claude Tardif, Director of the MHI Research Center and Professor of Medicine at the University of Montreal and aims to determine if colchicine may prevent the phenomenon of major inflammatory storm observed in adults suffering from serious complications linked to COVID-19. The clinical trial requires the recruitment of 6000 patients who meet all the inclusion criteria and none of the exclusion criteria. Patients are randomly assigned to either colchicine or a placebo for 30 days. Evaluations by phone or videoconference then take place 15 and 30 days after the randomization. The study is monitored by a data monitoring committee (DMC) that includes experienced clinical researchers.

References:
1. Bouabdallaoui N, Tardif J-C, Walters D, et al. Time-to-treat initiation of colchicine and cardiovascular outcomes after myocardial infarction in the Colchicine Cardiovascular Outcomes Trial (COLCOT). Eur Heart J: Available at https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/issue
2. Dube M-P, Legault M-A, Lemacon A, et al. Pharmacogenomics of the Efficacy and Safety of Colchicine in COLCOT. Presented by Dr. Dube at the virtual European Society of Cardiology Annual Scientific Sessions (ESC 2020), August 31, 2020.
3. Tardif J-C, Kouz S, Waters D, et al. Efficacy and safety of low-dose colchicine after myocardial infarction. N Engl J Med 2019; 381:2497-2505 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1912388