US Regulatory Authorities Approve New Drug To Treat Patients With High Cholesterol

The new cholesterol-lowering drug is approved only for adults. It is injectable, and offers an alternative to popular pill-based statins.

A new cholesterol-lowering drug called Praluent, made by Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. The agency approved the dug for people with certain genetic risk factors for heart disease.

The injectable drug is the first of its kind to gain approval on the US market, and offers an alternative to popular pill-based statins.

Benefits of New Cholesterol Drug Outweighs Risks and Wins Green Light From US Experts
An American advisory panel urged regulators to approve a new cholesterol drug that promises to reduce death from cardiovascular disease.

However, the US Food and Drug Administration approved it only for adults with an inherited condition that predisposes them to high cholesterol and raises the risk of heart attack and stroke.

"Praluent is approved for use in addition to diet and maximally tolerated statin therapy in adult patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) or patients with clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease such as heart attacks or strokes, who require additional lowering of LDL cholesterol," the FDA said in a statement.

HeFH is an inherited condition that causes high levels of the bad kind of cholesterol, known as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.

Clinical Trial Shows Arthritis and Cholesterol Drugs are Well Tolerated in Prostate Cancer Treatment
FDA-approved drugs CelebrexÂ® used for arthritis pain and LipitorÂ® used for lowering cholesterol are well tolerated in the treatment of recurrent prostate cancer.

Known also as alirocumab, the treatment is part of a new class of drugs known as proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors.

These drugs block the PCSK9 gene in the liver, which results in plummeting levels of LDL.

Study Questions New US Anti-cholesterol Drug Guidelines, Says Heart Risks Overestimated
Two researchers question the new recommendations to expand the use of cholesterol-lowering medication to millions of adults to reduce heart attacks and strokes saying the risks are exaggerated.

Source-AFP

Common Cholesterol Drug may Stimulate Appetite, Relieve Pain, Prevent Depression
If you want the benefits of medical marijuana without the unwanted side effects of cannabis, here is a piece of news for you.