Esperion's Bempedoic Acid Receives Multiple Class 1 Recommendations in 2026 ACC/AHA Multisociety Guideline for Management of Dyslipidemia

Bempedoic Acid Receives Strongest Endorsement from AHA/ACC Multisociety Guideline for Patients with Statin Intolerance and in Primary and Secondary Prevention Patients with Severe Hypercholesterolemia

Mar. 16, 2026 at 11:03am

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Esperion (NASDAQ: ESPR) welcomed the inclusion of bempedoic acid for LDL-C lowering and cardiovascular risk reduction in the 2026 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) Multisociety Guideline on the Management of Dyslipidemia. The guidelines provide multiple Class 1 recommendations for the use of bempedoic acid, including for patients with statin intolerance and those with severe hypercholesterolemia.

Why it matters

The recognition from the preeminent American cardiovascular medical associations marks a significant milestone for patients, clinicians and Esperion. The multiple Class 1 recommendations for bempedoic acid underscore its validation as a rigorously studied, evidence-based therapy for patients who require additional LDL-C lowering or who are unable to tolerate statins.

The details

The guideline provides several Class 1 recommendations for the use of bempedoic acid, including for patients with statin intolerance, those with clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) who are unable to achieve recommended treatment goals, and adults with severe hypercholesterolemia. The guideline also includes Class 2a recommendations for the use of bempedoic acid in certain high-risk patient populations.

  • The 2026 ACC/AHA Multisociety Guideline on the Management of Dyslipidemia was published on March 16, 2026.

The players

Esperion

An American biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing and commercializing innovative cardiometabolic and rare/orphan disease therapies.

Christie Ballantyne, MD

Professor of Medicine and Chief of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research at Baylor College of Medicine.

Sheldon Koenig

President and CEO of Esperion.

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What they’re saying

“The reintroduction of guideline-directed LDL-C targets to reduce cumulative LDL-C exposure emphasizes the importance of earlier, aggressive combination therapy and the acknowledgement of statin intolerance as a significant clinical challenge to reducing cardiovascular risk addresses a critical unmet need.”

— Christie Ballantyne, MD, Professor of Medicine and Chief of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research at Baylor College of Medicine

“Recognition from the preeminent American cardiovascular medical associations marks a significant milestone for patients, clinicians and Esperion. The multiple Class 1 recommendations for bempedoic acid underscore its validation as a rigorously studied, evidence-based therapy for patients who require additional LDL-C lowering or who are unable to tolerate statins.”

— Sheldon Koenig, President and CEO of Esperion

The takeaway

The guideline recognition of bempedoic acid and the 'lower for longer is better' approach to cardiovascular risk reduction affirms the importance of earlier, aggressive combination therapy and the need to address statin intolerance, a significant clinical challenge in managing dyslipidemia and reducing ASCVD risk.