Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, today announced the initiation of the company’s Phase 3 clinical program, CORALreef, for MK-0616, an investigational, oral proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitor, being evaluated for the treatment of adults with hypercholesterolemia. This is the first Phase 3 clinical program for an oral PCSK9 inhibitor.

Nine months after dumping an Ionis-partnered hypercholesterolemia asset, AstraZeneca has teamed up with a self-described “young” Chinese biotech to work on new drugs to target the condition.

The three-year agreement will see Shanghai-based Cholesgen receive an undisclosed initial payment from the British Big Pharma to pursue first-in-class targets and mechanisms for hypercholesterolemia and related metabolic diseases originally identified by the biotech’s Chinese researchers.

Amgen announced new data from the phase III study - BANTING - which showed that its PCSK9 inhibitor, Repatha, significantly reduced bad cholesterol in patients with type II diabetes and hypercholesterolemia already receiving moderate/high-intensity statin therapy.