FILE-A medicine pill is shown with the Merck logo displayed on a screen in the background in this illustration photo taken on Nov. 5, 2021. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Lipfendra, a new cholesterol pill manufactured by Merck, is used to treat patients with elevated cholesterol levels.
The Food and Drug Administration approved Merck’s cholesterol pill on Thursday, which may broaden the use of cholesterol medication for individuals at risk of heart disease.
With the federal agency’s approval of the pill, Reuters reported that the drug would become the first oral treatment from the category of drugs that works by blocking a protein which can contribute to high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease.
What is Lipfendra?
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Lipfendra is a cholesterol pill used to treat people with hypercholesterolemia (high levels of cholesterol), including patients with hereditary forms of the disease, which causes elevated levels of LDL, often called "bad" cholesterol because it can build up in your arteries and can increase your risk for heart attack and stroke.
According to Reuters, Lipfendra will be sold at a list price of $10.50 a day, which is about $315 monthly, with Merck saying that the pill will be available in the coming weeks.
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The Food and Drug Administration’s decision to approve Lipfendra is tied to two trials that showed the once-daily pill lowered LDL cholesterol levels by almost 60% in patients with hypercholesterolemia.
According to the American Heart Association, roughly 1 in 4 adults in the United States have high LDL cholesterol, which can rise based on several factors like genetics, lifestyle habits and other health conditions.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by Reuters and the American Heart Association. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.