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Statin drugs have made history for their blockbuster sales, and their use is only expected to increase when Lipitor's patent soon expires. But, for millions of people, statins simply don't do enough. Melinda Wenner Moyer explores ongoing efforts to develop new cholesterol-lowering drugs in light of clues that cardiovascular health is more complicated than doctors once thought.
Protein-based therapies promise to treat everything from cancer to arthritis, but the bacteria and mammalian cells that usually produce proteins leave much to be desired. New research shows that green algae—and genetically tweaked yeast—can churn out proteins that are cheaper and better tailored for human use than those made by traditional systems. Amber Dance reports on these new recruits in the pharma factory.