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Red yeast rice and atorvastatin
Red yeast rice and atorvastatin work synergistically to inhibit HMG-CoA reductase and reduce cholesterol synthesis, lowering LDL cholesterol and cardiovascular risk.
Red yeast rice and atorvastatin work synergistically to inhibit HMG-CoA reductase and reduce cholesterol synthesis, lowering LDL cholesterol and cardiovascular risk. Used for Hypercholesterolemia and dyslipidemia management, Cardiovascular disease prevention.
At a glance
| Generic name | Red yeast rice and atorvastatin |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Xuezhikang; Lipitor |
| Sponsor | Wenzhou Medical University |
| Drug class | HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (statin) |
| Target | HMG-CoA reductase |
| Modality | Small molecule |
| Therapeutic area | Cardiovascular |
| Phase | Phase 3 |
Mechanism of action
Red yeast rice contains naturally occurring statins (primarily monacolin K, which is structurally identical to lovastatin) that inhibit HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis. Atorvastatin is a synthetic statin that works through the same mechanism. The combination leverages both natural and pharmaceutical statin activity to achieve enhanced lipid-lowering effects with potentially improved tolerability or efficacy compared to either agent alone.
Approved indications
- Hypercholesterolemia and dyslipidemia management
- Cardiovascular disease prevention
Common side effects
- Myalgia (muscle pain)
- Elevated liver enzymes
- Headache
- Gastrointestinal disturbance
- Rhabdomyolysis (rare)
Key clinical trials
- Patient Autonomy and Statin Therapy Adherence (NA)
- The Efficacy and Safety of Combined Therapy With Red Yeast Rice and Low-dose Statin：Comparing With Standardized Statin (PHASE3)
- Low-dose Statins and Nutraceuticals in High-intensity Statin-intolerant Patients (PHASE4)
Primary sources
Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| ClinicalTrials.gov | Trial enrolment, design, endpoints, results |
Competitive intelligence
For the full competitive landscape — auto-detected comparators, recent regulatory actions across the set, upcoming PDUFA, patent timeline, sponsor landscape:
- Red yeast rice and atorvastatin CI brief — competitive landscape report
- Red yeast rice and atorvastatin updates RSS · CI watch RSS
- Wenzhou Medical University portfolio CI