A new pill developed by the drug company Merck may soon help millions of people lower their cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes—without the need for painful injections.
The pill is called enlicitide, and in early studies, it has shown the power to lower levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol by up to 60%. That’s about the same level of reduction as the current injectable medications on the market.
Enlicitide works by blocking a liver protein called PCSK9. This protein normally slows down how quickly the body removes cholesterol from the blood. By turning off this protein, the body can clear more cholesterol and keep blood vessels healthier.
Dr. Daniel Soffer, a heart doctor from the University of Pennsylvania, told The New York Times, “Lower is better for sure,” when it comes to LDL cholesterol.
The study lasted 24 weeks and included nearly 3,000 adults. All of them had already had a heart attack, stroke, or another serious heart problem—or were at high risk for one. People who took the pill saw their LDL cholesterol drop by as much as 60% compared to those who took a fake pill (placebo).
What’s more, there were no major differences in side effects between the groups. That means the new pill appears to be just as safe as current treatments.
This pill could be a much simpler and cheaper option than the current PCSK9 blockers like Repatha and Praluent, which are given by injection and can be costly. Merck hopes this new pill will make treatment easier and more affordable for everyone.
Dr. Dean Li, who leads research at Merck, said the goal is to make this pill something people can take daily, just like aspirin. He called it a dream that might finally come true.
Making a pill like this hasn’t been easy. Scientists have struggled for years to find a way to block PCSK9 with a pill because of the protein’s shape. Merck’s team worked on the problem for 10 years.
They came up with a tiny substance called a circular peptide. It’s about one-hundredth the size of an antibody and is small enough to be taken as a pill, but strong enough to block PCSK9 like injectable drugs do.
This new technology might lead to more pills that could replace injections for other diseases too.
Right now, Merck is running a much larger study with over 14,500 people to see if enlicitide really helps prevent heart attacks, strokes, and deaths in the long term. If the results are good, the company plans to ask the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval in early 2026. They hope to release the pill to the public in 2027.
Dr. Christopher Cannon, a heart specialist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, said this could be “a game changer” if the new pill continues to perform well in larger studies.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk, and herbal supplements could harm your heart rhythm.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how drinking milk affects risks of heart disease and cancer, and results showing strawberries could help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
