Drugmaker Merck announces approval of new cholesterol-fighting drug

Merck has received FDA approval for a new cholesterol medication called Lipfendra, per The Guardian. The drug is a PCSK9 inhibitor, a different class from statins—the most prescribed medication in the US—and can be used alone or alongside existing statin treatments. While statins have been the standard therapy for high LDL cholesterol for decades, they sometimes cause side effects like muscle aches and don't always lower cholesterol enough. Lipfendra offers an alternative for people for whom statins fall short.

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