It also activates LXR's ability to speed up production of ABC1, a reverse cholesterol transporter that moves excess cholesterol out of cells to the liver for excretion. Statins, the current cholesterol-lowering drugs, were first introduced in 1980. They work by inhibiting the amount of cholesterol the body produces internally. Mangelsdorf says the statins are effective but limited. They can only reduce the amount of cholesterol in the body by up to 40 percent, and only inhibit the amount of cholesterol the body produces.
Statins have no effect on dietary cholesterol, and presently, diet is the only remedy.
LG268 is a start toward new drug therapies but not a cure. Repa, J.J. et al . Regulation of absorption and ABC1-mediated efflux of cholesterol by RXR heterodimers.