Astra, Pfizer get statins all-clear

Drug giants AstraZeneca and Pfizer have received a boost for their cholesterol-lowering medicines after a US report said they do not increase the risk of the neurological disorder known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

Astra's Crestor and Pfizer's Lipitor are among the companies' most successful blockbuster treatments.

The Food and Drug Administration did not find any added danger of Lou Gehrig's disease after analysing 41 long-term studies of patients taking the medicines called statins.

The FDA began its review last year after receiving a higher-than-expected number of reports of Lou Gehrig's disease in patients on statins, according to a statement.

The disease damages nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing the muscles to weaken and making routine activities impossible.