New Cholesterol Drugs Face Doctors Seeking Heart Results
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A new class of cholesterol-lowering medicines from Pfizer Inc. and Amgen Inc. may struggle to meet sales projections, as latest treatment guidelines suggest doctors should prescribe only drugs proven to help the heart.
Called PCSK9 inhibitors, the experimental drugs have drawn the interest of doctors and investors as the first treatments designed to cut LDL cholesterol, a risk for heart attack and stroke, by targeting a key gene. Studies have shown the medicines can slash LDL by half, and analysts have projected annual sales of $2 billion for the medicines by 2018.