# FLOWPROMOTE Study: Combination Therapy Reduces Plaque Volume by 21.1 Percent

- Published: 2026-11-08 15:18 UTC
- Section: Life & Health › Medicine
- Tags: FLOWPROMOTE study, cholesterol management, plaque volume reduction, combination therapy, clinical research
- URL: https://realtech.media/news/rt-0c87592aa263681758fdf351_flowpromote_study_combination/

**A recent study shows that a combination therapy significantly reduces plaque volume in coronary arteries, highlighting new approaches to cholesterol management.**

![FLOWPROMOTE Study: Combination Therapy Reduces Plaque Volume by 21.1 Percent](https://realtech.media/media/2026/11/a0621f5f37cb7728.webp)
*ad-hoc-news.de*

The FLOWPROMOTE study, conducted at Aarhus University, investigated the effects of intensified lipid lowering on atherosklerotic changes in coronary arteries. Published on October 30, 2026, in JAMA Cardiology, the study involved 104 statin-naive adults with stable coronary artery disease (CAD), a stenosis of over 50 percent, and a fractional flow reserve computed tomography (FFR-CT) value of no more than 0.80. The average age of participants was 64 years, with 79 percent being male.

Participants exhibited angina pectoris and significant CAD with flow limitation. The progression was monitored using CT angiography at the study's outset and after 9 and 18 months. Over the 18-month period, the combination of 40 mg Rosuvastatin and 10 mg Ezetimib daily resulted in a more pronounced plaque regression compared to a monotherapy with 40 mg Atorvastatin per day.

Under the combination therapy, LDL-C levels decreased from 127.4 to 42.5 mg/dL, representing a 65 percent reduction. In the Atorvastatin group, levels fell from 119.7 to 69.5 mg/dL, a decrease of 38 percent. Imaging data reflected this intensified lowering, with total plaque volume (TPV) reducing by 21.1 percent, or 69.8 mm³, in the combination group, while it decreased by 13.6 percent, or 39.0 mm³, in the Atorvastatin group. The resulting difference was -30.9 mm³.

The non-calcified plaque volume (NCPV) showed a decline of 28.2 percent (-82.3 mm³) in the combination arm compared to a 20.0 percent (-53.5 mm³) reduction under monotherapy. Regression of non-calcified plaque volume occurred in 98 percent of patients under the combination therapy, compared to 77 percent in the control group. Overall, plaque regression was observed in 90 percent (47 of 52) of those treated with the combination and 75 percent (38 of 51) under Atorvastatin, with a p-value of 0.05 indicating statistical significance.

While calcified plaque increased similarly in both groups, lower LDL-C levels correlated linearly with greater plaque regression. However, the study authors caution that only partial regression was achieved. The applicability of findings to already medicated individuals or post-myocardial infarction patients remains unclear. As the study primarily captured CT changes rather than hard clinical endpoints like heart attacks or mortality rates, further observations are necessary.

In parallel to established drugs, novel substances for targeted reduction of atherogenic lipids are being tested. Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals presented data on ARO-DIMER-PA, a dual siRNA targeting both PCSK9 and APOC3, at the AHA Scientific Sessions 2026 in Chicago. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 1 study involving 31 patients with mixed hyperlipidemia, a single dose ranging from 25 to 400 mg dose-dependently lowered target values: PCSK9 decreased by 50 to 89 percent, APOC3 by 43 to 95 percent, LDL-C by 26 to 65 percent, and triglycerides by 56 to 78 percent. However, at the highest dose of 400 mg, increased side effects were observed, with injection site redness being the most common adverse effect.

## Sources

1. [ad-hoc-news.de](https://www.ad-hoc-news.de/wissenschaft/flowpromote-studie-kombination-senkt-plaquevolumen-um-21-1-prozent/70477313)

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Source: RealTech, realtech.media — https://realtech.media/news/rt-0c87592aa263681758fdf351_flowpromote_study_combination/