New Drug lower Cholesterol: Science is bent on making life much easier. Cures are being found for many incurable diseases. We are very close to developing a cancer vaccine. Meanwhile, scientists are conducting clinical trials of a new drug. This medicine lowers high cholesterol. In clinical trials, this drug reduced high cholesterol by 60 percent. For this, scientists have developed a molecule that suppresses PCSK9. It is called Enlicitide. It is a kind of medicine. It can be given to patients as an oral medication instead of an injection. In clinical trials, this drug reduced cholesterol by 60 percent.
According to a report published in the journal JAMA, a phase 3 clinical trial was conducted to evaluate this drug. It included 303 patients from 17 countries. These patients developed high cholesterol because of a family history of high cholesterol. This condition is called heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. All these patients were already taking statins. During the phase 3 trial, these patients were given the new PCSK9 inhibitor for 24 weeks. Some were given a placebo. At the end of the study, the drug reduced cholesterol levels by an average of 58.2%. This study shows that Enlicitide, an oral PCSK9 inhibitor, can significantly lower cholesterol levels.
How the medicine works
Enlicitide is a PCSK9 inhibitor that is given orally. PCSK9 is a protein that binds to and destroys bad cholesterol receptors in the liver. These LDL receptors help remove bad cholesterol from the blood. When PCSK9 reduces the number of LDL receptors, less LDL is cleared from the blood, leading to increased cholesterol levels. By inhibiting PCSK9, enalicitide allows a greater number of LDL receptors to remain active, increasing the liver’s ability to clear cholesterol. It lowers blood cholesterol. This medication offers an alternative to daily pill administration. Until now, PCSK9 inhibitors have been given as injections, given every two to four weeks. However, with the introduction of an oral pill, the need for vaccines may be eliminated.
No medicine so far
Cholesterol is a waxy, sticky substance. It is part of the fat produced in our body. A small amount is necessary, but changes in lifestyle often lead to elevated cholesterol. When cholesterol builds up, it sticks to the walls of blood vessels, reducing blood flow, making it harder for blood to reach the heart. Sometimes, cholesterol deposits in the arteries burst suddenly, leading to heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure. Currently, statins are used to treat cholesterol. These drugs prevent further buildup of cholesterol, but they cannot eliminate cholesterol that has already been deposited. However, if trials of this drug are successful, cholesterol can be eliminated.