FDA approves a first-of-its-kind pill to cut cholesterol in high-risk patients

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration has approved a first-of-its-kind pill that can drastically reduce cholesterol. The drug cleared Thursday (July 16, 2026) can lower dangerous cholesterol in a way that’s previously only been available with expensive, injectable drugs. The Lipfendra pill from Merck is the first noninjectable option for blocking a liver protein that interferes with the body’s ability to clear cholesterol from the blood. Biotech injectables targeting the protein have been available from other drugmakers for more than a decade. But patient access has been limited by high prices, insurance restrictions and low prescribing by doctors.