Sanofi and Regeneron drug shown to lower cholesterol

Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals are the joint developers of a drug that has been shown to reduce so-called bad cholesterol by as much as 72 percent in a new study.

Presented at the American College of Cardiology's annual meeting in Chicago this week, the research was funded by Sanofi and Regeneron.

It found that LDL cholesterol was lowered by 40 percent in patients taking the experimental drug in 50 mg doses, by 64 percent at 100 mg and by 72 per cent at 150 mg.

Lead investigator James McKenney suggested the findings indicate a major breakthrough, as the injectable treatment could provide an alternative option for patients who are resistant to traditional cholesterol-lowering drugs such as statins.

He told Business Week: "Instantly you're seeing all those patients you could not get to the level you'd like for them to be at, now you have a medicine that unquestionably can."

According to official data, about 25 percent of people aged 45 and over in the US currently use statins.