The Shiro Corporation - Cholesterol is actually an important substance needed by the body to build cells, produce hormones, and help with the digestion process.
However, if the level is too high, cholesterol can build up in the blood vessels and trigger serious problems.
Cholesterol buildup can form plaques in the arteries that block blood flow, thus increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Therefore, maintaining balanced cholesterol levels is very important, through diet, exercise, as well as medication.
The good news is that a recent study has found that cholesterol-lowering pills can also reduce the risk of heart disease. The drug is called Obicetrapib.
The research has been published in The New England Journal of Medicine by 2025, and conducted through phase 3 clinical trials by Monash University, Australia.
The cholesterol-lowering drug named Obicetrapib
Quoted from Fox News (15/6/2025), involving more than 2,500 participants with an average age of 65 years.
All participants have a history of genetically inherited heart disease or high cholesterol.
According to a press release from Monash University, each trial participant had also received the maximum tolerated dose of traditional cholesterol-lowering therapy.
The participants were divided into two groups, with one group receiving Obicetrapib pills, while the other group received a placebo, but they continued their respective cholesterol therapies.
As a result, after 12 weeks, the group that consumed Obicetrapib showed a 32.6 percent reduction in LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) levels and a 33.5 percent reduction in lipoprotein(a) or Lp(a) levels.
This finding was presented at the European Atherosclerosis Society Congress in the UK and immediately garnered attention from the global medical community.
The relationship between LDL and Lp(a) and heart health
The research leader and director of the Victorian Heart Institute at Monash, Stephen Nicholls, revealed that many high-risk individuals fail to maintain optimal cholesterol levels, making them susceptible to heart attacks.
Therefore, he considers that the discovery of Obicetrapib offers a promising new option.
"Not only did it reduce LDL cholesterol by more than 30 percent, but we also saw a reduction in Lp(a), which is much harder to treat and has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease," explained Nicholis.
Quoted from The Times of India , Tuesday (17/6/2025), LDL or Low-density Lipoprotein With large amounts, it can have adverse effects because it accumulates in the blood vessels, which ultimately increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
That's why LDL is commonly known as bad cholesterol.
On the contrary, Lipoprotein(a) or Lp(a) is a protein that is genetically inherited.
Unlike LDL, levels of Lp(a) cannot be changed through lifestyle modifications or conventional treatments.
It is known that Lp(a) can also increase the risk of heart attack if its levels are high in the blood.
Thus, researchers consider Obicetrapib to be a "valuable tool" in the fight against heart disease because its effects can reduce two factors of that disease.
"This medication offers convenience and efficacy, and addresses critical gaps for patients who have exhausted available therapy options," said Nicholls.
Limitation Note
Although the results are encouraging, this study has several limitations.
One of them is that participants were not specifically selected based on their Lp(a) levels, so the specific effect on those with high Lp(a) cannot be confirmed.
In addition, this study only measures changes in risk factors, not direct events such as heart attacks or strokes.
Long-term extensive research is needed to truly ensure the efficacy and safety of Obicetrapib as a preventive therapy.
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