Study suggests experimental Karo Bio drug could lower bad cholesterol

STOCKHOLM, Sweden According to a new study, the Karo Bio AB drug KB2115 can lower the levels of low-density lipoprotein or bad cholesterol by as much as 40 percent and reduce heart disease risks, the Washington Post reported.

The study was a phase II clinical trial, which studied 24 moderately overweight people with high LDL levels. The tests confirmed earlier studies with animals. The researchers involved though all have a stake in Karo.

The drug is designed to copy the action of a thyroid hormone and accelerates the hormone’s natural ability to rid the body of LDL. Since it is unrelated in structure or action to widely-used cholesterol lowering statin drugs (such as Lipitor, Pravachol and Zocor), KB2115 may offer an alternative for patients who can’t tolerate statins, according to the study authors. It may also be possible to use KB2115 to further decrease cholesterol levels in patients taking statins.