Pravastatin sodiumProduct ingredient for Pravastatin

Pravastatin is the 6-alpha-hydroxy acid form of mevastatin.¹¹ Pravastatin was firstly approved in 1991 becoming the second available statin in the United States. It was the first statin administered as the active form and not as a prodrug.¹⁰ This drug was developed by Sankyo Co. Ltd.; however, the first approved pravastatin product was developed by Bristol Myers Squibb and FDA approved in 1991.¹⁴

Pravastatin is made through a fermentation process in which mevastatin is first obtained. The manufacturing process is followed by the hydrolysis of the lactone group and the biological hydroxylation with Streptomyces carbophilus to introduce the allylic 6-alcohol group.¹²