Bempedoic acid: a novel lipid-lowering pharmacological agent for the management of dyslipidemia

Bempedoic acid is a newly discovered a novel lipid-lowering non-statin agent used for the management of dyslipidemiaand the reduction of cardiovascular risk. Its therapeutic mechanism of action is mediated by the inactivation of upstream enzymatic activity of adenosine triphosphate-citrate lyase (ATP -citrate lyase) that implicated in the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway. Clinical studies have reported that the treatment with bempedoic acid alone may reduce LDL-C levels via nearly 20% when compared with placebo, and by up to 38% when administered in combination with ezetimibe. This new drug has showed a satisfactory safety and tolerability profile demonstrated by a minimal level of muscle-related side effects but accompanied by modest elevation of gout risk. This review provides an overview of the mechanism of action, pharmacokinetic characteristics, clinical performance, and safety profile of bempedoic acid, pointing its growing importance in controlling of dyslipidemia and reduction cardiovascular risk.