Drug Firms Race To Reduce LDL, Novo Nordisk Awaits FDA Vote: Healthcare Business Recap

It has been one year since Lipitor lost its patent protection, and now several firms are progressing towards the next generation of medicines for reducing LDL, otherwise known as “bad cholesterol.” A sizable amount of interest is concentrated on the cholesterol-regulating gene PCSK9 in the liver, with Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) and Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) on Monday presenting data which indicates that their drugs performed well in mid-stage trials. meanwhile, Sanofi-aventis (NYSE:SNY) and its partner Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:REGN) reported a massive Phase III trial for their treatment.

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Staff members at the FDA report that Novo Nordisk’s (NYSE:NVO) ultra long-acting insulin degludec seems to increase the risk of cardiovascular death, along with non-fatal heart attacks, strokes and unstable angina by 30 percent relative to comparators, although there exists a large uncertainty regarding the statistical margin of error. An FDA advisory panel is scheduled to vote on Thursday on recommendation.

Don’t Miss: Here’s How Pfizer Will Get Over Lipitor Loss.