Company Description
Amarin Corporation plc (NASDAQ: AMRN) is a global pharmaceutical company focused on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the science of cardiovascular therapeutics. Classified under pharmaceutical preparation manufacturing within the broader manufacturing sector, Amarin concentrates its efforts on reducing the burden of CVD for patients and communities and advancing cardiovascular care worldwide.
The company’s business centers on a single global branded product based on icosapent ethyl, marketed as VASCEPA in the United States and several other countries and as VAZKEPA in Europe. According to Amarin, this product is approved by multiple regulatory authorities for cardiovascular risk reduction in high-risk patients and for the treatment of severe hypertriglyceridemia. These approvals are supported by robust clinical trial evidence, including the landmark REDUCE-IT cardiovascular outcomes trial, and by extensive post hoc analyses presented at major cardiology congresses.
Core product and indications
VASCEPA/VAZKEPA (icosapent ethyl) capsules are described by Amarin as the first prescription treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) comprised solely of the active ingredient icosapent ethyl, a unique form of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). In the United States, VASCEPA is indicated as an adjunct to maximally tolerated statin therapy to reduce the risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary revascularization and unstable angina requiring hospitalization in adult patients with elevated triglyceride levels and either established cardiovascular disease or diabetes mellitus with additional risk factors. It is also indicated as an adjunct to diet to reduce triglyceride levels in adult patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia.
Amarin reports that VASCEPA was initially launched in the United States based on its FDA-approved indication for severe hypertriglyceridemia and later as a therapy for high-risk patients with persistent cardiovascular risk despite statin therapy. The company notes that since launch, VASCEPA has been prescribed more than twenty‑five million times and is covered by most major medical insurance plans in the U.S.
Global footprint and commercialization model
Amarin describes itself as a global company with a commercialization model that combines a direct sales approach in the United States with an indirect distribution strategy internationally. Outside the U.S., Amarin works through a syndicate of reputable and well‑established partners with significant geographic expertise. Across its disclosures, the company states that these partners collectively cover over 90 markets worldwide, and in some communications it notes coverage approaching 100 markets.
In Europe, icosapent ethyl is marketed under the brand name VAZKEPA for the reduction of cardiovascular events in patients at high cardiovascular risk. Marketing authorization in the European Union was granted in March 2021, and authorization in Great Britain followed in April 2021. Amarin reports that VAZKEPA is approved and sold in multiple European countries, including Sweden, Finland, England/Wales, Spain, the Netherlands, Scotland, Greece, Portugal, Italy, Denmark and Austria. Beyond Europe and the United States, the company notes that VASCEPA is approved and sold in Canada, China, Australia, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait.
A key structural element of Amarin’s business is its exclusive long‑term license and supply agreement with Recordati Industria Chimica e Farmaceutica S.p.A. Under this agreement, disclosed in a Form 8‑K, Recordati has rights to develop and commercialize VAZKEPA in 59 countries focused on Europe, while Amarin retains rights outside that territory. Amarin receives an upfront payment, potential commercial milestone payments and royalties based on net sales recorded by Recordati and its sublicensees. The company has also described a global restructuring in connection with this partnered model, with the vast majority of estimated cost savings coming from reduced commercialization expense in its European operations.
Clinical evidence and scientific focus
Amarin emphasizes that its cardiovascular franchise is backed by extensive clinical and mechanistic research. The REDUCE‑IT trial, which enrolled 8,179 statin‑treated patients with elevated triglycerides, demonstrated a 25% relative reduction in cardiovascular events for VASCEPA versus placebo when used as an adjunct to statin therapy, according to the company’s summary of the study. Subsequent analyses presented at major meetings, including the American Heart Association (AHA), European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and Canadian Cardiovascular Congress, have explored outcomes in subgroups such as patients with cardiovascular‑kidney‑metabolic (CKM) syndrome, varying levels of apolipoprotein B and triglyceride‑rich lipoprotein cholesterol, and different patterns of aspirin use.
Beyond outcomes data, Amarin highlights mechanistic studies examining EPA’s effects on lipoprotein(a) oxidation, endothelial cell stress responses, inflammation, and NLRP3 inflammasome activation in monocyte‑derived macrophages. These in vitro and translational data are presented as helping to clarify potential mechanisms of action that may contribute to cardiovascular risk reduction beyond triglyceride lowering.
Market positioning and therapeutic context
Across its public communications, Amarin frames its role within cardiovascular care as addressing residual cardiovascular risk that persists despite standard lipid‑lowering therapies such as statins. The company frequently contrasts the evidence base for icosapent ethyl with fibrates and mixed omega‑3 products, citing FDA labeling updates and large trials in which other triglyceride‑lowering agents did not demonstrate cardiovascular benefit when added to statins. Amarin also points to recognition of icosapent ethyl in professional guidelines, including a Class IIA recommendation in an ESC/EAS dyslipidemia guideline focused update for high‑risk or very high‑risk patients with elevated triglycerides despite statin therapy.
Within this context, Amarin presents VASCEPA/VAZKEPA as a therapy aimed at high‑risk cardiovascular patients, including those with severe hypertriglyceridemia, elevated triglycerides above commonly cited thresholds, or complex conditions such as CKM syndrome. The company’s communications emphasize both the clinical outcomes data and the mechanistic research as support for the product’s role in contemporary cardiovascular risk management strategies.
Operating structure and financial orientation
Amarin is incorporated in England and Wales and reports its principal offices in Dublin, Ireland in SEC filings. It trades on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol AMRN. The company’s SEC filings and press releases describe a business model that combines product revenue from VASCEPA/VAZKEPA with licensing and royalty income from partners. Amarin has highlighted a transition to a fully partnered commercialization model across all international markets, while maintaining a direct commercial presence in the United States.
The company has publicly discussed a global restructuring plan associated with its European partnership, aimed at reducing operating costs while continuing to support the global VASCEPA/VAZKEPA brand and its partners. In its financial communications, Amarin notes that it maintains functions such as regulatory affairs, nonclinical and clinical development, biostatistics and data management, medical affairs, scientific publications and pharmacovigilance to support its cardiovascular franchise.
Risk, safety and regulatory information
Amarin consistently includes safety information for VASCEPA/VAZKEPA in its communications. The company notes that VASCEPA is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to the product or its components, and that in clinical trials it was associated with increased risks of atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter requiring hospitalization and increased bleeding, particularly in patients receiving concomitant antithrombotic medications. Common adverse reactions reported in cardiovascular outcomes and hypertriglyceridemia trials include musculoskeletal pain, peripheral edema, constipation, gout, atrial fibrillation, arthralgia and oropharyngeal pain. Amarin also emphasizes that the effect of VASCEPA on the risk of pancreatitis in patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia has not been determined.
The company directs healthcare professionals and patients to country‑specific prescribing information and notes that globally, product labeling varies by jurisdiction. In Europe, detailed information is available in the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) for VAZKEPA, while in the U.S. full prescribing information for VASCEPA is provided in FDA‑approved labeling.
Summary
According to its public disclosures, Amarin Corporation plc is a specialized pharmaceutical company centered on a single, globally branded cardiovascular product based on icosapent ethyl. Through a mix of direct U.S. commercialization and extensive international partnerships, the company seeks to expand access to VASCEPA/VAZKEPA in high‑risk cardiovascular populations. Its positioning is grounded in outcomes data from the REDUCE‑IT trial and subsequent analyses, mechanistic research on EPA, and regulatory approvals across multiple regions.