New Delhi, April 14 -- The world's top pharmaceutical companies are developing drugs to lower a type of cholesterol common among Indians due to genetic factors, which may be launched in the country in the coming years.

Companies like Novartis and Eli Lilly are working on drugs to treat high levels of lipoprotein(a), also called Lp(a), a type of cholesterol that has no therapy yet and cannot be reduced by diet or exercise. High levels of cholesterol are a leading cause of heart attacks and strokes, with South Asians genetically more vulnerable to high levels of Lp(a).

"One of the biggest healthcare burdens in India is on the cardiovascular side," said Amitabh Dube, country president and managing director, Novartis India. "We're (trying) ...