Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (ESPR) and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd Monday said the Phase 3 trial of bempedoic acid in Japan in patients with hypercholesterolemia, or high levels of cholesterol in the blood, met its primary goal.
Bempedoic acid, created by Esperion Therapeutics, is marketed for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia and cardiovascular risk reduction in several parts of the world, including the United States and Europe. In 2020, Otsuka acquired exclusive rights to develop and commercialize bempedoic acid in Japan and is currently developing it domestically.
The primary endpoint of the study conducted in patients with high LDL cholesterol was the percentage change from baseline in LDL-cholesterol at Week 12. LDL-cholesterol declined 25.25 percentage in patients treated with bempedoic acid compared with 3.46 percent decline in patients who were treated with placebo.
Additionally, the safety and tolerability of bempedoic acid were consistent with findings from previous trials, and no serious adverse events were observed.
Otsuka said it plans to submit a New Drug Application in Japan in the second half of 2024.
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June 19, 2026 16:46 ET Major central banks continued to dominate the economic news flow this week too, led by the Federal Reserve, as they announced their latest policy decisions. The Federal Reserve policy session was in focus as it was the first to be led by the new chief Kevin Warsh. In Europe, central banks of the U.K. and Switzerland announced their rate decisions. In Asia, the Bank of Japan drew attention for its policy moves, while data out of China threw some light on the state of the economy.