MSD cholesterol drug gets NICE approval

MSD's Ezetrol drug designed to treat adults with high cholesterol has been given the green light by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

NICE has given the drug the all-clear to be used to treat adult patients with primary hypercholesterolaemia who are unable to tolerate initial statin therapy.

It also says Ezetrol can be used alongside initial statin therapy, for example in cases where a person may suffer side-effects if they have higher statin doses, PharmaTimes reports.

Ezetrol blocks intestinal absorption of dietary and biliary cholesterol but allows uptake of fat-soluble vitamins and triglycerides, meaning it can be used alongside a statin.

Around 120,000 people in the UK are affected by primary heterozygous-familial hypercholesterolaemia, which is caused by inherited faulty genes.

Approximately two million are affected by non-familial hypercholesterolaemia, which is brought on by a combination of genetics and lifestyle factors, such as lack of exercise, poor diet and smoking.