Chinese lipid-lowering drug candidate proves safe, effective

BEIJING, April 19 (Xinhua) -- A new lipid-lowering drug candidate developed by Chinese researchers was proved safe and effective in its phase one clinical trial, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) said on Tuesday.

The drug, coded DC371739, was developed by researchers at the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica under the CAS and was approved to undergo phase one clinical trial in 2020.

The candidate showed a promising lipid-lowering effect in vitro and in vivo, as well as good safety and tolerability both in healthy subjects and in patients with hyperlipidemia in the phase one trial, according to the research paper published in the journal Cell Metabolism.

Lipid-lowering drug statins are currently the main clinical treatment for hyperlipidemia, though they are not suitable for patients with statin intolerance.

Through combination with atorvastatin, a statin drug, the new candidate provides a potential therapeutic strategy for patients with statin intolerance due to its action mechanism that is distinct from other known lipid-lowering reagents, the paper said.