The cholesterol drug Vytorin was backed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday affirming that the drug reduces risks of heart attack or stroke.

The regulatory agency compared Vytorin to Zocor, one of the two components of the pill and confirmed Vytorin reduced bad cholesterol more than Zocor, the Associated Press reports.

The FDA previously stated Vytorin did not give better results than Zocor in January 2008. Zocor is available as a generic drug with a lower price in the market.

Vytorin is manufactured by Merck/Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals (MSP).