Raleigh-area patient hopeful of new FDA-approved cholesterol pill
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- For nearly two years, Steve Church has been working with doctors to keep his cholesterol under control.
He started by giving himself injections at home every two weeks. Now, he visits his doctor's office twice a year for shots. That's why Church is excited about a newly approved cholesterol medication that could offer patients a simpler option: a daily pill.
"I might be interested in that just because of the results I'm getting," Church said. "If there's a pill that I can tolerate and it's affordable, I'd be on board with it."
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved Lipfendra, the first pill version of a powerful class of cholesterol-lowering medications that, until now, have only been available through injections. Doctors say the new drug could make treatment more accessible for patients by addressing two common concerns: convenience and cost.
Being able to deliver the same power of this medication in pill form is really a revolutionary thing.- Dr. Christopher Kelly, UNC Rex cardiologist
"A lot of those problems get solved by making the drug available in pill form," said Dr. Christopher Kelly, a cardiologist at UNC Rex in Raleigh. "You can take it just like anything else and get all those same benefits, hopefully save money in the long term."
Lipfendra works by blocking a protein that allows the liver to remove more LDL, often called "bad" cholesterol, from the bloodstream. Kelly says the FDA approval is generating significant interest because it delivers the same type of cholesterol-lowering treatment patients currently receive through injections.
"Being able to deliver the same power of this medication in pill form is really a revolutionary thing," Kelly said.
In clinical trials, the medication lowered cholesterol by more than 50% in most patients who took it, according to Kelly. The results were similar to injectable versions of the drug. The medication is not expected to replace traditional statins for everyone. Instead, Kelly says it could help patients whose cholesterol is not adequately controlled by statins or those who struggle with side effects.
Church falls into that category.
"I'm not great on tolerating statins," he said. "So if there's a pill that I can tolerate and it's affordable, I'd be on board with it."
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Cost remains a major question for many patients. Kelly says the drug's list price is expected to be lower than comparable injectable medications, though insurance coverage will ultimately determine what most people pay.
"Our patients are really excited about it," Kelly said. "It's a medicine that I can see myself prescribing frequently, and I think it's really going to change how we treat cholesterol."
For Church, however, the appeal is simpler than the science: the possibility of getting the same results without the needle. The FDA approved the medication last week, and doctors say it could begin arriving in pharmacies in the coming weeks.
