Esperion expanding Phase III program for bempedoic acid

Esperion Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:ESPR) gained $0.69 to $13.01 on Thursday after it said bempedoic acid ( ETC-1002) met the primary endpoint in a Phase II PK/PD study and subsequently amended the ongoing Phase III program of the hypercholesterolemia candidate.

In an eight-week Phase II study in 68 patients on a background therapy of high-dose atorvastatin, Esperion said bempedoic acid lowered LDL-C from baseline by 13% vs. a 9% increase for placebo (p=0.0028), meeting the trial's primary endpoint. ...