Novel lipid-regulating drugs

This review describes the major developments in lipid-regulating drugs during the past two years. Most of the novel compounds that have been launched or were in their final stages of development during this period are aimed primarily at lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol. These include bile acid sequestrants, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors and a cholesterol absorption inhibitor. In addition, there have been preclinical reports suggesting the potential usefulness of orally bioavailable inhibitors of cholesterol ester transfer protein in plasma and of acylcoA:cholesterol acyltransferase in monocyte-macrophages. The recent discovery of the roles of the scavenger receptor class B Type 1 and ATP-binding cassette transporter 1 in high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol transport may shift the trend of future developments away from compounds that lower LDL to those aimed at promoting HDL turnover.