Isis Pharmaceuticals and Genzyme Corporation have announced that they have received approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for their cholesterol-lowering medication, Kynamro (mipomersen). The drug will used in conjunction with other therapies to lower LDL cholesterol levels in individuals diagnosed with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, an inherited disease that results in very high cholesterol levels at an early age. This medical condition also places those individuals afflicted with it at risk for developing cardiovascular disease early in life.
Kynamro works differently than other approved cholesterol-lowering medications on the market in that it uses antisense technology, where the medication binds to the genetic material, messenger RNA, and prevents it from being made into proteins that could potentially cause disease. The press release is located on the Isis Pharmaceutical website.
