Merck\u2019s Lipfendra, the brand name for cholesterol-lowering enlicitide, will soon be available as a pill after years as an injectable medication.<\/p>\n
The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new cholesterol\u2011lowering pill that could help millions of Americans.<\/p>\n
Merck\u2019s Lipfendra, the brand name for the drug enlicitide, belongs to a class of medications known as PCSK9 inhibitors. Until now, these drugs were only available as injections. Lipfendra is a tablet taken once a day and is the first oral PCSK9 inhibitor to win FDA approval.<\/p>\n
\u201cTreating cholesterol more aggressively or more fully is our best chance to lower the risk for heart disease for millions and millions of Americans,\u201d said Dr. Allen Taylor, chairman for cardiology at MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute. \u201cWhatever your cholesterol number is, it probably should be lower.\u201d<\/p>\n
Taylor, who has consulted for Merck on cholesterol-lowering drugs in the past<\/a>, called the pill a breakthrough in expanding the medication\u2019s reach, letting patients choose between an injectable every two weeks or a daily pill.<\/p>\n \u201cDespite the availability of the injectable drugs, as safe and effective as they are, they\u2019re vastly underutilized,\u201d he said. \u201cMore options available for patients will increase the odds that we get more people effectively treated.\u201d<\/p>\n Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, with high levels of \u201cbad\u201d cholesterol among the biggest risk factors.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen your cholesterol is too high, your arteries suffer through developing buildups. And those buildups develop over decades to ultimately lead to things like strokes, heart attacks and premature death,\u201d Taylor said. \u201cWe know from studies that this class of drugs reduces those risks.\u201d<\/p>\n Lipfendra is meant to be used alongside statin medications, diet and exercise. A pair of clinical trials showed it reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or \u201cbad cholesterol,\u201d by 56% and 59%<\/a>, respectively.<\/p>\n The list price is $10.50 per day or $315 for a 30\u2011day supply. A Merck spokesperson said they expect out\u2011of\u2011pocket costs to be lower and it \u201cwill be available to patients in a matter of weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n