Healthy authorities approve use of cholesterol drug

China's National Medical Products Administration on Tuesday approved the use of Inclisiran, a cholesterol-lowering small interfering RNA (siRNA), for the treatment of adults with primary hypercholesterolemia (heterozygous familial and non-familial) or mixed dyslipidemia.

Developed by Novartis, Inclisiran is the world's only siRNA medicine for LDL-C reduction and will help make long-term lipid management easier for physicians and patients, said the company.

The European Medicines Agency had in December 2020 approved Inclisiran for use in the treatment of adults with primary hypercholesterolemia or mixed dyslipidemia. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved it in December 2021 and expanded its indications to primary hypercholesterolemia patients in July 2023.