Question 411 of 433
What is new for cholesterol?
The short answer
A powerful cholesterol pill arrived in 2026, and one-time gene editing is in early human trials.
In July 2026 the FDA approved enlicitide, sold as Lipfendra, the first pill that blocks PCSK9, a protein that keeps LDL cholesterol high. Until now that required injections. In trials it lowered LDL by more than half on top of a statin. The study showing whether it prevents heart attacks is still running, though injectable drugs that work the same way already do.
Further out is gene editing. In 2026, researchers reported that a single infusion of a gene editor that switches off PCSK9 in the liver lowered LDL by about 60 percent at the highest dose, with the effect lasting up to eighteen months in the people followed longest. That was in 35 people. A second gene editor aimed at a different target lowered both LDL and triglycerides by about half. If these prove safe over years, a person with inherited high cholesterol might be treated once, for life. That “if” will take the better part of a decade to answer.
“This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship.” From the book’s medical disclaimer. Full disclaimer
REGULATORY / HUMAN TRIALS for enlicitide LDL lowering; EARLY HUMAN DATA for irreversible lipid gene editing.Evidence grade (draft mapping)RRegulatory statusBLimited or small human studiesPart 28, Q411 · Sources: R13
Sources cited
- R13 US Food and Drug Administration. FDA Approves First Oral PCSK9 Inhibitor to Lower LDL Cholesterol in Adults with High Cholesterol. July 2026. Link pending verification
From Longevity Unmasked by Afshine Ash Emrani, MD, FACC. Medical disclaimer. This book is for education. It is not medical advice, and reading it does not make you my patient or create a doctor-patient relationship. Nothing here is meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Medicine is personal: a test, drug, supplement, or exercise plan that helps one person can harm another. Do not start, stop, or change any medication or treatment because of something you read in these pages. Talk with a licensed clinician who knows your history first. If you think you are having a medical emergency, call 911. The author disclaims responsibility for any loss or harm arising from use of the information in this book.