Merck/S-P's Vytorin lowers cholesterol more than Lipitor

US drug majors Merck & Co and Schering-Plough presented strong results from a new clinical study conducted in 1,229 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and high cholesterol at the American Diabetes Association's 66th annual meeting, held in Washington DC. According to the firms, the data show that their co-developed cholesterol-lowerer Vytorin (ezetimibe/simvastatin) provided superior reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol than pharmaceutical giant Pfizer's Lipitor (atorvastatin) in comparisons of the recommended usual starting doses.

Vytorin, which is the first and only product approved to alleviate high cholesterol by inhibiting both production and absoroption, is marketed as Inegy in many countries outside the USA. At the recommended usual starting doses of both agents, Vytorin 10mg/20mg demonstrated a 53.6% mean reduction from baseline LDL cholesterol, compared to a 38.3% drop seen with Lipitor 10mg and 44.6% with 20mg, the firms noted.