Global sales for treatment of dyslipidemia are approaching USD 30 billion annually. The statin class of drugs dominate the market and account for USD 25 billion of total annual sales. Statins down-regulate synthesis of LDL-cholesterol in the liver.

Need for New Drugs
However, only 50 percent of high risk patients and 18 percent of very high risk patients reach LDL target levels with statin treatment (Datamonitor, 2007). The need for new drugs that can be used alone or in combination with statins is therefore significant.

Opportunities for Eprotirome
Karo Bio’s eprotirome represents a new therapeutic principle for treatment of high blood lipids and decreasing risk in cardiovascular disease. The likely position in the market is as add on to statins and as an alternative to other drugs such as the cholesterol absorption inhibitor ezetimibe.

Karo Bio will seek a partner to bring eprotirome through phase III clinical trials and to the market. The aim is to initiate a collaboration after completion of Phase IIb clinical trials.