We’re beating heart disease - vox.com

What the report says

Vox reported that the Food and Drug Administration approved enlicitide, a once-daily oral medication that can reduce LDL, often called “bad” cholesterol, by nearly 60 percent. The article, published July 25, 2026, frames the pill as a notable step because similar LDL reductions have generally required injectable PCSK9 drugs, while enlicitide is taken by mouth under specific fasting conditions.

The piece places the approval in the longer decline of cardiovascular mortality. According to Vox, heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States and worldwide, but U.S. age-adjusted cardiovascular death rates have fallen sharply since 1950. The article says the broader progress has come from multiple factors, including statins, better blood pressure treatment, lower smoking rates, and newer therapies such as GLP-1 drugs that may reduce cardiovascular events in some patients.

Vox also explains the scientific background behind PCSK9-targeting medicines. Researchers Helen Hobbs and Jonathan Cohen at the University of Texas Southwestern identified people with naturally low LDL linked to variants in the PCSK9 gene, helping point drugmakers toward treatments that mimic that protective effect. The article says enlicitide could be especially useful for patients who cannot tolerate statins or do not lower LDL enough with them.

The report notes important caveats: enlicitide has shown strong cholesterol-lowering results, but its own study measuring effects on deaths and major cardiovascular outcomes will take years. Vox also highlights access and adherence concerns, including uncertain insurance coverage and an estimated cost of about $300 per month.