1、他汀类药物和胆固醇自从1987年Merck公司在美首次推出第一个他汀类药物洛伐他汀(lovastatin/Mevacor)以后,此类降脂药物市场便以令人震惊的速度迅疾增长:它们在2000年虽仅只有6个药物,然全球销售额却已超过160亿美元,其中单在美国就达90亿美元以上。他汀类药物销售不太可能受到2001年8月起Bayer公司西伐他汀(cerivastatin/Baycol,Lipobay)相继撤出各国市场的过大影响,它们的世界年销售额在未来数年内仍会持续增长,预计至2006年可达250亿美元左右。 1. Statins and Cholesterol This lipid-lowering drug market has seen a dramatic increase at alarming rates since Merck first introduced the first statin, lovastatin / mevacor, in 1987: Although there were only 6 drugs in 2000, the global sales have exceeded 16 billion U.S. dollars, of which 9 billion U.S. dollars have been earned in the U.S. alone. Sales of statins are unlikely to be overwhelmingly affected by the successive withdrawal of cerivastatin / Baycol (Lipocolb) from various markets in August 2001 and their annual world sales will continue to grow in the coming years, It is estimated that up to 25 billion U.S. dollars by 2006.