The US FDA has approved Pfizer's cholesterol-lowering therapy Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium) for the prevention of cardiovascular disease by reducing heart attack risk in people with normal to mildly elevated cholesterol levels who have other cardiovascular risk factors.

The FDA's decision was based on the findings of the landmark ASCOT trial (Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial), which found that the lowest dose of Lipitor (10 mg) reduced the relative risk of heart attack by 36 per cent compared to placebo. Because these significant benefits were seen so early, the trial was ended nearly two years ahead of schedule, the company said in a release.

"No other lipid-lowering agent has shown an effect as dramatic as Lipitor in terms of reducing cardiovascular disease and in offering this significant health benefit as fast as Lipitor," claims Dr. Joseph Feczko, Pfizer's president of Worldwide Development. "Lipitor clearly is different in its early ability to reduce heart attacks among a very broad population of patients, regardless of cholesterol levels," he added further.

Another Lipitor study also ended two years ahead of schedule and also demonstrated Lipitor's early cardiovascular benefits to patients. The CARDS study (Collaborative Atorvastatin Diabetes Study), the largest study ever designed to evaluate a statin in diabetics, showed that patients with diabetes who took Lipitor had 48 per cent fewer strokes than those who received placebo. In addition, Lipitor-treated patients had significantly fewer fatal and non-fatal heart attacks and required fewer surgical procedures.

Lipitor also is the first lipid-lowering agent to demonstrate superior cardiovascular benefits when compared to another statin in two separate studies. In the REVERSAL study, Lipitor halted the progression of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, while the other statin merely slowed progression. Pfizer has either submitted these additional studies to the FDA or plans to do so shortly for inclusion in the product's prescribing information, the release added.

"Lowering LDL levels with statin therapy has been shown to reduce death and disability, but based on recent studies, we now know that Lipitor provides earlier and greater benefits than lowering LDL alone," Dr. Feczko said.

In the PROVE-IT study, patients taking Lipitor had a significantly lower cardiovascular events rate than patients taking a different statin.