icosapent ethyl

Eicosapentaenoic acid ethyl is an ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid that can inhibit the effects of bad lipoproteins, reduce the attachment and deposition on the inner wall of blood vessels, and assist high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in removing excess fat from the blood vessel walls. On July 26, 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Amarin Pharmaceuticals’ Eicosapentaenoic Acid Ethyl Soft Capsules (trade name: Vascepa) for the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia, becoming the second ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid prescription drug on the market. At the same time, Eicosapentaenoic acid ethyl is the only FDA-approved adjuvant drug for the maximum tolerated dose of statins and the first drug approved to effectively reduce the risk of residual cardiovascular events.