New Drug for Reducing Cholesterol Levels

Data from a phase III trial show that a lipid-lowering medication reduced low density lipoprotein (LDL) by 40-58%, increased high density lipoprotein (HDL) by 13%, and brought up to 87% of patients to target cholesterol levels. Other trials have shown similar results.

The medication also decreased LDL by 58% and significantly increased HDL in patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH), an inherited disorder that results in severe high cholesterol. Called rosuvastatin calcium (Crestor), the new drug is the product of AstraZeneca (London, UK). Rosuvastatin belongs to the class of lipid-lowering medications called HMG-COA reductase inhibitors. Initially developed by Shionogi, a Japanese pharmaceutical company, rosuvastatin is licensed to AstraZeneca. Phase III clinical trials are now in progress.

"Rosuvastatin showed the ability to bring a high percentage of patients to target cholesterol levels—an important issue because many people still are not reaching these targets…The efficacy of rosuvastatin in patients with HeFH was also of great importance because this patient population traditionally has been very difficult to treat,” noted Dr. Michael Davidson, CEO of the Chicago Center for Clinical Research and lead investigator for one of the studies.



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