FDA Oks Pricey New Cholesterol Drug For Certain Patients

Praluent carries an estimated price tag between $7,000 and $12,000 per year, according to Medical Marketing & Media. The companies have not formally confirmed the cost. However analysts estimate it will be the most costly cholesterol drug on the market. FOXBusiness.com takes a look at how the drug may stack up against more established treatments.

1. The Praluent Push is Responsible for Regeneron's 2015 Rally

Regeneron's (NASDAQ:REGN) stock price has soared 35% this year as investors bet cholesterol drug Praluent will eventually hit blockbuster status with sales of at least $1 billion. But the drug is facing some long established rivals...

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2. Crestor

AstraZeneca (NYSE:AZN) manufactures this well-known lipid regulator, which raked in a whopping $5,848,160,064 in sales in 2014.

3. Zetia

Merck (NYSE:MRK) blockbuster drug, Zetia pulled in $2,036,844,880 and is one of two drugs on the list to cross the billion-dollar mark in sales.

4. Fenofibrate

This generic drug, which falls under several brand names including Antara and Lipofen, reached $836,923,449 in 2014 sales.

5. Vytorin

Another lucrative drug for Merck (NYSE:MRK) which posted $774,222,194 in sales in 2014.

6. Generic Lipitor

The atorvastatin calcium drug, which is manufactured by Pfizer (NYSE:PFE), raked in $729,693,375 in 2014 sales. At one time the drug was the leading cholesterol treatment before its patent expired in November 2011.