Oral PCSK9 inhibition: Will co-formulation drive success?

An oral, cholesterol-lowering small molecule that blocks PCSK9 is one step closer to the market with encouraging Phase IIb safety and efficacy data. As the oral therapy is slightly less effective than what’s been seen with other modalities against the target, the question now is whether the therapy’s other features will create a long-awaited path to commercial success for the PCSK9 target.

Astrazeneca plc (LSE:AZN; NYSE:AZN) is hoping that the ability to combine AZD0780 with other small molecules — statins, in particular — will be the differentiator that helps drive prescriptions, reimbursement and commercial uptake...