First-in-class cholesterol-lowering treatment NILEMDO * (bempedoic acid) tablet and its combination with ezetimibe NUSTENDI * (bempedoic acid and ezetimibe) tablet approved in Switzerland

- NILEMDO (bempedoic acid) is the first oral, once-daily treatment approved in almost two decades to lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) for indicated patients -

- Bempedoic acid and its fixed combination drug product with ezetimibe both deliver significant reductions in LDL-C when added to a statin or other lipid-lowering therapies^1,2 -

- Two-thirds of patients in Switzerland with very high cardiovascular risk do not achieve LDL-C target values set out by the European Society of Cardiology,³ indicating a need for additional treatment options -

MUNICH, Germany, and ANN ARBOR, Mich., Dec. 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Daiichi Sankyo Europe GmbH (hereafter, ‘Daiichi Sankyo’) and Esperion Therapeutics (NASDAQ: ESPR) announced today Swissmedic approval for NILEMDO* (bempedoic acid) tablet and NUSTENDI* (bempedoic acid and ezetimibe) tablet, offering new treatment options for people with high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in Switzerland.

Bempedoic acid is the first oral, once-daily treatment option approved in the last two decades for patients who have difficulty reaching their cholesterol-lowering goals. In a recent observational study, two-thirds of patients in Switzerland with very high cardiovascular risk did not achieve LDL-C target values set out by the European Society of Cardiology.³ Patients who do not reach their LDL-C lowering goals are at increased risk for heart attack and stroke.⁴ Diagnosis of high cholesterol has increased among older adults in Switzerland in the past 20 years.⁵

“Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death in Switzerland. In 2017 it accounted for over 30% of deaths across the country, highlighting a critical need for new treatment options for the many people who are having difficulty reaching their LDL-C goals with existing lipid-lowering therapies,” said Dr. Lucas Schalch, Country Manager at Daiichi Sankyo Switzerland. “Today’s approval of NILEMDO and NUSTENDI is a pivotal milestone for patients in secondary prevention, offering them new, convenient treatment options and demonstrating another step forward in our commitment to reduce the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.”