A New Drug to Fight High Cholesterol

[Luv2play]

I read today that Merck has received approval from the FDA to start selling a new pill that will lower LDL, the bad cholesterol, dramatically. It will offer an bc alternative to patients now taking statins.

As for myself, I have done well on statins but not everyone does, including bothersome side effects. Nice to know there is an alternative if that were to change.

[BigDMike]

Perhaps start by taking Red Yeast Rice. It’s an OTC you take daily. Dramatically dropped mine over a few months. 

[Petris Sage]

I'm very dubious about anything coming from the current FDA.  What do the European, British, Canadian, Japanese and other international health ministries say about this new treatment?  Since I've moved to Japan, I've found a New Zealand doctor licensed and working in Japan.  I will seek his opinion on changing from my current Lipitor prescription.  I'll share what he tells me.

[Lotus-eater]

8 hours ago, Petris Sage said:

I'm very dubious about anything coming from the current FDA.  What do the European, British, Canadian, Japanese and other international health ministries say about this new treatment?  Since I've moved to Japan, I've found a New Zealand doctor licensed and working in Japan.  I will seek his opinion on changing from my current Lipitor prescription.  I'll share what he tells me.

The current FDA evaluates drugs no differently than previously. Lipfendra has been undergoing trials since 2020 with the Phase 3 trial ending in July 2025. While novel as a pill, it uses the same biological target as injectables like Repatha, Praluent, and Leqvio, so it's very likely to be approved by other countries within a year.

Edited July 22 by Lotus-eater

[+ SirBillybob]

The rigour of gold-standard clinical trials exists not because cynicism is always justified, but because it is inevitable. The methodology is designed to withstand scrutiny regardless of where the skepticism originates. Many astute eyes, other than regulatory entities, critically appraise research findings. Next up: tracking of impact on major adverse cardiovascular events occurrence over longer periods. 

Edited July 22 by SirBillybob

[+ SirBillybob]

On 7/16/2026 at 5:00 PM, Luv2play said:

I read today that Merck has received approval from the FDA to start selling a new pill that will lower LDL, the bad cholesterol, dramatically. It will offer an alternative to patients now taking statins.

Actually the most common application will be augmentation not substitution, other than alternative to its injectable formulation or statins not tolerated. The research placebo groups continued their previous treatment, not solely the usual inactive agent that we think of as characterizing placebo. Therefore, the purported benefit of Lipfendra is additive to pre-existing standard of care, wasn’t head-to-head comparison with total withholding of LDL-targeted agents.

Edited July 22 by SirBillybob

[marylander1940]

My choice to fight cholesterol: 

[+ SirBillybob]

25 minutes ago, marylander1940 said:

My choice to fight cholesterol: 

Now that’s a grape intervention one can let breathe and is spared the pitfalls of sub-adherence. 

Edited July 22 by SirBillybob

[Luv2play]

11 hours ago, SirBillybob said:

Actually the most common application will be augmentation not substitution, other than alternative to its injectable formulation or statins not tolerated. The research placebo groups continued their previous treatment, not solely the usual inactive agent that we think of as characterizing placebo. Therefore, the purported benefit of Lipfendra is additive to pre-existing standard of care, wasn’t head-to-head comparison with total withholding of LDL-targeted agents.

What exactly are you driving at with your mumbo jumbo?

Edited July 23 by Luv2play

[+ SirBillybob]

2 hours ago, Luv2play said:

What exactly are you driving at with your mumbo jumbo?

Deep breath. Don’t fret about the bigger words. They weren’t intended to be a mystical incantation.

Short version: People stayed on their existing treatment such as statins and one group took Lipfendra as well. The added benefit of Lipfendra was measured. Whether it fends off basic lip remains to be seen.

Speak to your cardiologist; he or she may be able to explain the meaning of alternative in this context. 

For others with skin in the game I suggest reading Merck’s press release. I myself did not experience an adverse reaction to its detail and clarity. 

Edited July 23 by SirBillybob

[Luv2play]

14 hours ago, SirBillybob said:

Deep breath. Don’t fret about the bigger words. They weren’t intended to be a mystical incantation.

Short version: People stayed on their existing treatment such as statins and one group took Lipfendra as well. The added benefit of Lipfendra was measured. Whether it fends off basic lip remains to be seen.

Speak to your cardiologist; he or she may be able to explain the meaning of alternative in this context. 

For others with skin in the game I suggest reading Merck’s press release. I myself did not experience an adverse reaction to its detail and clarity. 

Nice. Why didn’t you  say that in the first place. 

[+ SirBillybob]

2 hours ago, Luv2play said:

Nice. Why didn’t you  say that in the first place. 

I can neither identify a single word in my original post on clarifying Lipfendra’s role in management that would carry the risk of evidently triggering you, nor ascertain the choice of terms and language that someone of your apparent educational stature and self-reported breadth of reading would not have been able to comprehend.

Your follow-up post (inserted) today continues to reinforce my view that your contributions are at times more vexatious than substantive. No harm in assessing your interpersonal filters for possible re-calibration at your next cholesterol screening. 

Edited July 23 by SirBillybob

[Luv2play]

2 hours ago, SirBillybob said:

I can neither identify a single word in my original post on clarifying Lipfendra’s role in management that would carry the risk of evidently triggering you, nor ascertain the choice of terms and language that someone of your apparent educational stature and self-reported breadth of reading would not have been able to comprehend.

Your follow-up post (inserted) today continues to reinforce my view that your contributions are at times more vexatious than substantive. No harm in assessing your interpersonal filters for possible re-calibration at your next cholesterol screening. 

Your problem is focusing on individual words and losing sight of your sentences and paragraphs. They are hardly the model of lucidity or clarity. You should try taking a writing course. 

[+ SirBillybob]

1 hour ago, Luv2play said:

Your problem is focusing on individual words and losing sight of your sentences and paragraphs. They are hardly the model of lucidity or clarity. You should try taking a writing course. 

The old saying applies: Show, don’t tell.

I’ll chalk up your impulsively rendered recommendation as an established anchored tendency for dropping non sequiturs. 

Any writing coach not off their trolley would confirm that the opening sentence states the proposition, the middle sentence develops it, and the final sentence draws the conclusion. It follows basic paragraph architecture. They would be puzzled by, dismissive of, your desperate royal proclamation that my passage is a series of disconnected words as opposed to a cohesive unit. 

But while the posing of suggestions has been introduced, here you go … This isn’t your first rodeo along these lines. At some point you should be able to distinguish between staying in the saddle and lying in the dirt. 

—-

Regardless of this fascinating side discussion, the important point for readers is that the placebo-controlled comparison occurred against a backdrop of ongoing standard lipid-lowering therapy, so the reported benefit reflects augmentation rather than substitution. Let’s stick to the topic. 

Edited July 23 by SirBillybob

[Rod Hagen]

Repatha is fantastic. Personally I look forward to the biweekly prick of my Repatha and my Dupixent (asthma), some people just refuse to use an injectable, so this pill is good news. Hopefully medicare will cover it fully quickly, that's a problem with Repatha.

[TonyFL]

I try to stay more natural. Years ago the normal cholesterol was 300. There is a lot of information out there pointing towards inflammation as the problem and not cholesterol level. I'm not an expert, but I am definitely more leery about taking Prescriptions now than 10 years ago. 

[collinaustinbrady]

On 7/17/2026 at 4:02 PM, BigDMike said:

Perhaps start by taking Red Yeast Rice. It’s an OTC you take daily. Dramatically dropped mine over a few months. 

Are there any adverse effects? 
 

On 8/2/2026 at 12:46 PM, TonyFL said:

I try to stay more natural. Years ago the normal cholesterol was 300. There is a lot of information out there pointing towards inflammation as the problem and not cholesterol level. I'm not an expert, but I am definitely more leery about taking Prescriptions now than 10 years ago. 

Do you think the normal cholesterol standard was reduced from 300 mg/dL to 200 mg/dL by the medical industry to prescribe more medication? 💊 💵 

[Luv2play]

On 8/8/2026 at 12:04 AM, collinaustinbrady said:

Are there any adverse effects? 
 

Do you think the normal cholesterol standard was reduced from 300 mg/dL to 200 mg/dL by the medical industry to prescribe more medication? 💊 💵 

My doctor says lower is better. My levels are low based on the statins I take. 

[BigDMike]

On 8/7/2026 at 9:04 PM, collinaustinbrady said:

Are there any adverse effects? 
 

Do you think the normal cholesterol standard was reduced from 300 mg/dL to 200 mg/dL by the medical industry to prescribe more medication? 💊 💵 

I have not experienced any.  I went from 210 to 150 over the course of 8 months.  I take 4 a day (as prescribed on the bottle) and you can get it on Amazon or Costco or CVS.  I have suggested this to others as well and they haven't reported back to me that they had any adverse effects.

I am not a Doctor.  My Doctor said, "Your number is higher than where I'd like it so lets have you try this before going down a prescription drug path" and that's what I did and its' worked really well for me.  

 

https://www.amazon.com/Weider-Yeast-Rice-Plus-1200mg/dp/B076PKRJDR/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=S5UBM5T29CHZ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.b7QhJEeQX0nrK2-ZsBbpipH3Mdt4MJ2_8eh-PDll9t6a_eNgEjPp_CL5pc3T3OWsIWkod3xi3MhtA8jihpgE_jxAVfmOWd7wX-vPrNzw4Xjd_0Zt8PlYNWcNiXIZGP_gFkSIX7yTBpxpcSpwIPZx9iE9DzGgy5GEc_qQAQclZDqYtm9gTPItSuHy4vff7jpSukVxFGEmVFs-uH3ZQanLAXWmy66MoqV9K8bpnx93CSP_qR0pAUeKKNCZNW0QCnwmYGcSt5D1UP8YHP7v386NpglubzW9P3sSZ_evhCXb-D8._Idr3vSDdH7n24CiWuiSrMKhFpbE4GAbNPl9t4Nb7F4&dib_tag=se&keywords=red+yeast+rice&qid=1786392101&rdc=1&sprefix=red+ye%2Caps%2C188&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

Edited August 10 by BigDMike