Akira Endo

Akira Endo discovered mevastatin (also known as compactin), the first HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, in 1973. His research into fungal metabolites led directly to the creation of statins, the globally vital class of cholesterol-lowering medications used by millions today.

Endo screened over 6,000 strains of fungi looking for compounds that inhibited cholesterol synthesis. He eventually isolated mevastatin from a strain of Penicillium citrinum mold, proving that fungal extracts could effectively block the enzyme responsible for cholesterol production in the liver.

Surprisingly, Endo did not receive a Nobel Prize for his work, though he was awarded the prestigious Lasker Award in 2008. The Lasker jury specifically noted that his discovery of the first statin had a profound and unprecedented impact on the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Endo actually conducted much of his pioneering statin research while working at the Japanese pharmaceutical company Sankyo. His discoveries there laid the chemical foundation for companies like Merck to later develop commercial statins like lovastatin.