FDA considering new drugs to fight bad cholesterol

The Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee of the Food and Drug Administration is considering the medical merits of two injectable drugs this week to lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Nearly 74 million adults, or 32 percent, have high LDL cholesterol, which can lead to plaque buildup in arteries causing heart disease and stroke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Fox Business reports new drugs - Amgen’s Repatha and Regeneron (REGN) and Sanofi’s Praluent - are designed to interfere with an enzyme known as PCSK9, thus allowing the liver to lower LDL levels better.

Read more from Fox Business.[[In-content Ad]]