Merck said on Monday its drug met the main goal of reducing a type of cholesterol in two late-stage studies.

The drug, enlicitide decanoate, is being evaluated as a treatment for hyperlipidemia, a condition where there is elevated buildup of fat in the blood vessels.

The company said the drug showed meaningful reductions in the levels of LDL-C, or low-density lipoprotein, which is commonly known as bad cholesterol.

Enlicitide was tested in patients who have a history of, or are at risk for heart disease.

(Reporting by Christy Santhosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)