United States-based Esperion Therapeutics' phase three long-term safety study indicated that bempedoic acid has decreased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, it was reported yesterday.

The company stated that bempedoic acid is under development as a complementary, cost-effective, once-daily and oral therapy to treat patients with elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The product is an oral and once-daily ATP Citrate Lyase (ACL) inhibitor, which reduces cholesterol and fatty acid synthesis in the liver.

The firm has submitted new drug applications for the bempedoic acid and the bempedoic acid/ezetimibe combination tablet with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Both are also under regulatory review for marketing authorisation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The study evaluated the long-term safety, tolerability and efficacy of bempedoic acid 180mg against placebo in 2,230 high-risk patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.