# Enlicitide

A ring-shaped peptide that does in a daily tablet what injected antibodies do: it blocks PCSK9 so the liver clears more LDL cholesterol.

Also called: Lipfendra, MK-0616
Source page: https://peplogue.com/peptides/enlicitide/
Updated: 2026-10-22. Not medical advice.

## How it works

- Where it acts: It blocks PCSK9, a protein made by the liver.
- What it changes: More LDL receptors stay on liver cells, so the liver clears more LDL cholesterol from the blood.
- What people notice: A large fall in LDL cholesterol in trials, with side effects close to placebo.

## What the evidence shows

- **High LDL cholesterol**: Proven. LDL fell 56% more than on placebo at 24 weeks, and 59% in people with inherited high cholesterol. Whether it prevents heart attacks is being tested in a trial of more than 14,500 people.

## Side effects and risks

- common: Dizziness (9% against 4% on placebo) and diarrhea (7% against 2%) in one trial.
- unknown: It is new. Long-term safety results are still to come.

Who should avoid it: Nothing established beyond the label. Ask the prescriber.

## How it is taken

One 20 mg tablet a day. Reports at approval describe it as taken in the morning on an empty stomach, 30 minutes before eating.

## Legal status

- United States: undefined. Lipfendra, approved July 2026.
- European Union: undefined
- Spain: undefined. No enlicitide medicine in CIMA, so it is not authorised in Spain. Whether an EU application is under review was not confirmed.
- Germany: undefined. Not verified. US-approved in Jul 2026; no EU or German filing confirmed, so it cannot be sold in Germany.
- France: undefined. Not verified. EU status unconfirmed and French status not checked, so nothing can be said about sale in France.
- Italy: undefined. Not verified. No EU or Italian authorisation found, but we could not search EMA lists by name. Approved in the US only.
- Netherlands: undefined. Not verified. I found no EU or Dutch authorisation or Dutch listing. Do not assume it is available here.
- United Kingdom: undefined
- Canada: undefined
- Australia: undefined

## Questions people ask

**How much does enlicitide lower LDL cholesterol?**

LDL fell 56% more than on placebo at 24 weeks, and 59% in people with inherited high cholesterol.

**Does enlicitide prevent heart attacks?**

That is not yet known. It is being tested in a fully enrolled trial of more than 14,500 people.

**What are the side effects of enlicitide?**

In one trial, dizziness affected 9% against 4% on placebo and diarrhea 7% against 2%. It is new, and long-term safety results are still to come.

**Is enlicitide a pill or an injection?**

A pill. It is a ring-shaped peptide taken as a daily tablet that does what injected PCSK9 antibodies do.

**Where is Lipfendra approved?**

In the US, since July 2026.

## Sources

- Pharmacy Times: FDA approves enlicitide (16 Jul 2026): https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/fda-approves-enlicitide-the-first-oral-pcsk9-inhibitor-for-high-cholesterol
- Merck: outcomes trial fully enrolled (30 Mar 2026): https://www.merck.com/?p=3686298