bempedoic acid

Bempedoic acid is an oral, small molecule drug used to lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in adults with primary hyperlipidemia, including heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH), and to reduce the risk of heart attack and heart procedures in patients who are unable to take or are not taking statins[1][2][5]. It is a first-in-class adenosine triphosphate-citrate lyase (ACL) inhibitor that works by blocking cholesterol synthesis in the liver, leading to increased LDL receptor expression and enhanced clearance of LDL-C from plasma[3][6][8]. Bempedoic acid is a prodrug activated primarily in the liver, which limits its potential for muscle-related side effects compared to statins[3][8]. Developed by Esperion Therapeutics, it was approved by the FDA in 2020 under the brand name Nexletol[3][5].

Brand names

Nexletol

Other names

8-Hydroxy-2,2,14,14-tetramethylpentadecanedioic acid