Bempedoic Acid: a cholesterol lowering agent with a novel mechanism of action

Dyslipidemia is a common condition that increases the risk of heart diseases and stroke. High levels of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) are correlated with a higher risk for heart disease. A drug class known as 'statins' is the gold standard for LDL-C-lowering, but its use in some patients is limited by its adverse effects of myalgias and myopathies. Use of other LDL-C-lowering agents is frequently limited by cost and degree of efficacy. Additionally, many high-risk atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease patients fail to meet LDL-C goals despite maximally tolerated statin therapy with or without the addition of a non-statin agent.

This review covers the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, clinical trials, and clinical implications of bempedoic acid. A PubMed search was conducted using the terms bempedoic, bempedoic acid, Nexletol, ETC-1002, and adenosine triphosphate citrate lyase inhibitor. Additional data were obtained from the prescribing information and relevant guidelines. All clinical trials were included.

Bempedoic acid has not been shown to cause myalgias or myopathies and is likely to be competitively affordable compared to other LDL-C-lowering agents. Bempedoic acid has been shown to be superior compared to placebo and provides additional LDL-C lowering on top of maximally tolerated statin therapy or combined with ezetimibe alone.