Cardiologist impressed by experimental pill that significantly lowers cholesterol

 I guess we are still going down the wrong direction! Cholesterol is not the problem; INFLAMMATION IS! Without inflammation the arteries wouldn't be grabbing cholesterol to pack into plaque. Medical personnel took the shortcut and left the real cause still out there. And solving the correct problem would negate use of statins, Big Pharma will never allow such research to be completed.

Why doesn't your doctor know about this?

Inflammation video explaining it  here:

The accent is a bit hard to understand and needs to be  rerecorded to a laypersons understanding.

Inflammation In Atherosclerotic Plaque Formation YouTube 

The latest here:

Cardiologist impressed by experimental pill that significantly lowers cholesterol

An oral PCSK9 inhibitor from Merck is associated with significant reductions in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, according to new data published in The New England Journal of Medicine.[1] All PCSK9 inhibitors on the market today are injectable—an oral option that does not require needles could make a major impact on patient care. 

“Fewer than half of patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease currently reach LDL cholesterol goals,” lead author Ann Marie Navar, MD, PhD, an associate professor of cardiology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, said in a statement. “An oral therapy this effective has the potential to dramatically improve our ability to prevent heart attacks and strokes on a population level.”

Back in November, researchers presented initial findings from this study at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2025 conference. Now, however, the analysis can be read in full.

The CORALreef Lipids trial focused on nearly 3,000 heart patients with high LDL cholesterol who were randomized to either receive enlicitide, Merck’s experimental oral PCSK9 inhibitor, or a placebo. Two patients received the new drug for every one patient treated with a placebo.

The mean age was 63 years, and the mean LDL cholesterol at baseline was 96.1 mg/dl. All patients were either already on statin therapy or were known to be intolerant to statins. They took their medication—enlicitide or the placebo—daily and were followed for a full year. 

Overall, the study’s primary endpoint—the mean change in LDL cholesterol from baseline to week 24—was -57.1% for the enlicitide group and 3% for the placebo group. The adjusted between-group difference after 24 weeks was -55.8 percentage points.  After the full year, meanwhile, the adjusted between-group difference was -47.2 percentage points. Apolipoprotein B levels and lipoprotein(a) levels were also significantly improved for the enlicitide group compared to the placebo group.

“These reductions in LDL cholesterol are the most we have ever achieved with an oral drug by far since the development of statins,” Navar said.

Another key takeaway from this study was the fact that enlicitide was not linked to any increased risk of adverse safety events. No patients had to stop taking the drug due to safety concerns. Another specific outcome of interest for the group was new-onset/worsening diabetes mellitus. The group found no signs of this being an issue for any individuals randomized to receive enlicitide.

This study, which was funded in full by a subsidiary of Merck, is just the beginning for researchers. Additional research is already underway to specifically examine this pill’s ability to reduce an individual’s risk of myocardial infarction, stroke or other cardiovascular outcomes.

Click here to read the full analysis.