Akira Endo, a Japanese researcher who found the cholesterol-lowering statins, passes away at 90 years old.
Endo was seen as a brilliant scientist with a unique ability to comprehend the innermost workings of things. His discovery of statins was compared to the discovery of penicillin in terms of impact and significance. Even the University of Agriculture and Technology in Tokyo, where Endo worked after leaving the pharmaceutical industry, mourned his passing.
Endo had received several prestigious awards for his research, such as the Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research in 2008. However, he never received the Nobel Prize in Medicine, despite being a frequent nominee.
Endo was born on November 14, 1933, in the northern part of Japan, to a farming family. His passion for medicine was sparked by his grandfather, who hired a renowned tutor in the field. When Endo was young, he was inspired by the story of Alexander Fleming, the British doctor who isolated penicillin and created the first antibiotic in 1928.
In 1957, Endo began his career as a microbiologist at Sankyo Pharmaceuticals and focused his research on lipid metabolism and cholesterol synthesis. After spending two years at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, he recognized the need for a cholesterol-reducing drug.
"I frequently saw ambulances transporting elderly people suffering from heart attacks to the hospital," Endo recalled from this time. This experience made him realize the importance of developing a cholesterol-lowering medication.
Upon his return to Japan, Endo dedicated himself to this research at Sankyo, testing 6,000 fungal strains. In 1973, he finally discovered mevastatin, the first statin drug. Statins would not hit the market until 1987, when they were introduced by the American pharmaceutical company Merck & Co.
More than 200 million people around the world currently use statins to improve their lipid metabolism and protect against heart-circulatory diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes. In 2023, sales of these medications reached approximately 14 billion euros - a trend on the rise.
Throughout their widespread use, some controversies have surfaced: Statins have been questioned for their efficacy or even blamed for causing side effects.
A study published in the "European Heart Journal" in 2022, which analyzed 176 studies on the topic, concluded that the intolerance to statins was exaggerated. According to this research, developing heart-circulatory diseases due to high cholesterol levels is more likely than experiencing adverse effects from taking statins.
"Are statins safe? Based on research published over the past 20 years, according to a 2014 study by Johns Hopkins University, the answer is a definite yes," the renowned American university stated.
Read also:
- Akira Endo's groundbreaking discovery of cholesterol-lowering statins, similar in impact to penicillin, was primarily conducted during his tenure at Sankyo Pharmaceuticals in Tokyo, within the realm of pharmaceuticals.
- Despite his significant contributions to the field and numerous prestigious awards, including the Albert Lasker Award, Endo regrettably never received the Nobel Prize in Medicine, a recognition often associated with death-defying medical discoveries.
- Born in the northern part of Japan to a farming family, Endo grew up inspired by stories of death-defying medical pioneers such as Alexander Fleming, the British doctor who discovered penicillin.
- Endo's focus on lipid metabolism and cholesterol synthesis within the pharmaceuticals industry led him to the realization of the need for a cholesterol-reducing drug, which he pursued with relentless determination.
- The statins discovered by Endo, such as mevastatin, have become a crucial component in the pharmaceuticals industry's arsenal, preventing heart attacks and strokes for over 200 million people worldwide.
- In the wake of Endo's death at 90 years old, the AFP (Agence France-Presse) reported on the profound impact his cholesterol-lowering statins had on global public health.,
- Endo's contributions to the field of pharmaceuticals and the prevention of heart-circulatory diseases through statins may one day be recognized with a posthumous Nobel Prize in Medicine, honoring his life's work and legacy.
