Prescription medicine
Lovastatin First approved as Mevacor
Lovastatin (Mevacor) is a prescription medicine with an FDA approval on record since 1987. FDA's NDC Directory lists it from 19 generic labelers, and pharmacies paid $0.0436 per lovastatin 20 mg tablet in the October 7, 2026 NADAC survey.
- Generic listed
Check it at the source: the lovastatin FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 6, 2026, Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Inc.); the NDA 19643 record on Drugs@FDA; every lovastatin label on DailyMed.
Highlights of the record
FDA label of May 6, 2026; NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA and Orange Book, October 8, 2026; NADAC October 7, 2026
Used for
From the label: indications and usageTherapy with lovastatin tablets USP should be a component of multiple risk factor intervention in those individuals with dyslipidemia at risk for atherosclerotic vascular disease.
Forms and strengths
- 10 mg
- 20 mg
- 40 mg
Tablet.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- August 31, 1987 Mevacor, Merck; Drugs@FDA’s file, where older or withdrawn approvals can be missing
- Generic approvals
- 10 first December 17, 2001; 7 with a marketed status in Drugs@FDA
- Labelers listed (NDC)
- 19 of which 19 under generic applications, 0 under brand applications, repackagers included
Supply and safety
- Pharmacy cost (NADAC)
- $0.0436 per tablet Lovastatin 20 mg tablet
- Shortage (FDA)
- No current entry
- Recalls by its makers (FDA)
- 4 since 2013 0 Class I among all firms' recalls; latest February 19, 2019
- FAERS reports
- 25,526 through July 30, 2026
What is lovastatin used for?
From the label: indications and usageTherapy with lovastatin tablets USP should be a component of multiple risk factor intervention in those individuals with dyslipidemia at risk for atherosclerotic vascular disease. Lovastatin tablets USP should be used in addition to a diet restricted in saturated fat and cholesterol as part of a treatment strategy to lower total-C and LDL-C to target levels when the response to diet and other nonpharmacological measures alone has been inadequate to reduce risk. […]
Conditions named in the indications of lovastatin's FDA labels, with every medicine labeled for each:
From other lovastatin labelsHeart attack and coronary artery disease: Primary Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease In individuals without symptomatic cardiovascular disease, average to moderately elevated total-C and LDL-C and below average HDL-C, lovastatin tablets USP are indicated to reduce the risk of …
FDA pharmacologic class: HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor.
Source: FDA drug label (Lovastatin), Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., effective May 6, 2026 (SPL set df7ddf4f-d569-431e-81f1-9129d7043150), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
Is there a generic for lovastatin (Mevacor)?
The FDA approved the first generic lovastatin on December 17, 2001. 10 generic applications are approved; 7 of them carry a current (not discontinued) marketing status in Drugs@FDA; that status is not evidence that the generic is on sale.
FDA's NDC Directory lists lovastatin from 19 labelers under a generic (ANDA) application. A listing means the company has registered the product for sale; it does not show that every pharmacy stocks it.
- 1987 earliest approval on file
- 2001 first generic approved
- red ticks recalls
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory and the Orange Book (openFDA bulk files, October 8, 2026)
What do pharmacies pay for lovastatin (Mevacor)?
In CMS's NADAC survey of October 7, 2026, pharmacies paid $0.0436 per Lovastatin 20 mg tablet, down 6% from $0.0464 on October 8, 2025. The chart's scale runs from the lowest to the highest price shown, not from zero. NADAC is what retail pharmacies paid their wholesalers, per unit, in CMS's monthly survey; what a patient pays depends on insurance and the pharmacy.
- Lovastatin 20 mg tablet (generic)
| Strength and form | Brand or generic | Pharmacy cost | 30 tablets, or one pen or vial | 12-month change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lovastatin 10 mg tablet | Generic | $0.0365 per tablet | $1.10 | -13% |
| Lovastatin 20 mg tablet | Generic | $0.0436 per tablet | $1.31 | -6% |
| Lovastatin 40 mg tablet | Generic | $0.0552 per tablet | $1.66 | -0.7% |
Source: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) survey, October 7, 2026: what retail pharmacies paid per unit; not a counter price
Has lovastatin been recalled?
The FDA's Enforcement Report lists 4 recalls naming lovastatin since 2013: 0 Class I (the most serious), 2 Class II, 2 Class III; 0 still ongoing. A recall names products and lots, not every product of the medicine.
| Started | Class | Company | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 19, 2019 | Class III | American Health Packaging | CGMP Deviations: Finished product made with lovastatin drug substance that was out of specification for individual impurity results. |
| February 13, 2019 | Class III | Lupin Pharmaceuticals Inc. | CGMP Deviations: Finished product made with lovastatin drug substance that was out of specification for individual impurity results. |
| January 3, 2018 | Class II | AVKARE Inc. | Failed Dissolution Specifications: Low out of specification results for dissolution during annual stability testing. |
| July 2, 2013 | Class II | Aidapak Services, LLC | Labeling: Label Mixup: LOVASTATIN, Tablet, 20 mg may have potentially been mislabeled as one of the following drugs: ASPIRIN EC DR, Tablet, 81 mg, NDC … |
Source: FDA Enforcement Report (drug recalls) via openFDA, through October 8, 2026
What does the lovastatin label say about other medicines?
The lovastatin label names 17 other medicines in its interaction, contraindication or warning sections. The labels of 32 other medicines name lovastatin. The sentences are the labels' own; a label lists what its studies and reports found, not every interaction.
| Medicine named | Section | What the label says |
|---|---|---|
| Amiodarone | warnings | Amiodarone The dose of lovastatin should not exceed 40 mg daily in patients receiving concomitant medication with amiodarone. |
| Clarithromycin | contraindications | Concomitant administration with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g., itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole, HIV protease inhibitors, boceprevir, telaprevir, erythromycin, clarithromycin, telithromycin, nefazodone, and cobicistat-containing products) (see WARNINGS, Myopathy/Rhabdomyolysis ). |
| Colchicine | warnings | Colchicine Cases of myopathy, including rhabdomyolysis, have been reported with lovastatin coadministered with colchicine, and caution should be exercised when prescribing lovastatin with colchicine (see PRECAUTIONS, Drug Interactions ). |
| Cyclosporine | warnings | Cyclosporine The use of lovastatin with cyclosporine should be avoided. |
| Danazol | warnings | Danazol, diltiazem, dronedarone or verapamil with higher doses of lovastatin The dose of lovastatin should not exceed 20 mg daily in patients receiving concomitant medication with danazol, diltiazem, dronedarone, or verapamil. |
| Diltiazem | warnings | Danazol, diltiazem, dronedarone or verapamil with higher doses of lovastatin The dose of lovastatin should not exceed 20 mg daily in patients receiving concomitant medication with danazol, diltiazem, dronedarone, or verapamil. |
| Dronedarone | warnings | Danazol, diltiazem, dronedarone or verapamil with higher doses of lovastatin The dose of lovastatin should not exceed 20 mg daily in patients receiving concomitant medication with danazol, diltiazem, dronedarone, or verapamil. |
| Erythromycin | contraindications | Concomitant administration with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g., itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole, HIV protease inhibitors, boceprevir, telaprevir, erythromycin, clarithromycin, telithromycin, nefazodone, and cobicistat-containing products) (see WARNINGS, Myopathy/Rhabdomyolysis ). |
| Gemfibrozil | warnings | Gemfibrozil The combined use of lovastatin with gemfibrozil should be avoided. |
| Itraconazole | contraindications | Concomitant administration with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g., itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole, HIV protease inhibitors, boceprevir, telaprevir, erythromycin, clarithromycin, telithromycin, nefazodone, and cobicistat-containing products) (see WARNINGS, Myopathy/Rhabdomyolysis ). |
| Ketoconazole | contraindications | Concomitant administration with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g., itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole, HIV protease inhibitors, boceprevir, telaprevir, erythromycin, clarithromycin, telithromycin, nefazodone, and cobicistat-containing products) (see WARNINGS, Myopathy/Rhabdomyolysis ). |
| Nefazodone | contraindications | Concomitant administration with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g., itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole, HIV protease inhibitors, boceprevir, telaprevir, erythromycin, clarithromycin, telithromycin, nefazodone, and cobicistat-containing products) (see WARNINGS, Myopathy/Rhabdomyolysis ). |
| Niacin | warnings | Other lipid-lowering drugs (other fibrates or ≥1 g/day of niacin) Caution should be used when prescribing other fibrates or lipid-lowering doses (≥1 g/day) of niacin with lovastatin, as these agents can cause myopathy when given alone. |
| Posaconazole | contraindications | Concomitant administration with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g., itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole, HIV protease inhibitors, boceprevir, telaprevir, erythromycin, clarithromycin, telithromycin, nefazodone, and cobicistat-containing products) (see WARNINGS, Myopathy/Rhabdomyolysis ). |
Every other medicine the lovastatin label names
| Medicine named | Section | What the label says |
|---|---|---|
| Ranolazine | warnings | Ranolazine The risk of myopathy, including rhabdomyolysis, may be increased by concomitant administration of ranolazine. |
| Verapamil | warnings | Danazol, diltiazem, dronedarone or verapamil with higher doses of lovastatin The dose of lovastatin should not exceed 20 mg daily in patients receiving concomitant medication with danazol, diltiazem … |
| Voriconazole | contraindications | Concomitant administration with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g., itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole, HIV protease inhibitors, boceprevir, telaprevir, erythromycin, clarithromycin … |
Other labels that name lovastatin
- Atazanavir
- Cobicistat
- Darunavir
- Deferasirox
- Elbasvir and grazoprevir
- Eslicarbazepine
- Etravirine
- Everolimus
- Fosamprenavir
- Glecaprevir and pibrentasvir
- Lenacapavir
- Letermovir
- Lomitapide
- Lonafarnib
- Mifepristone
- Nelfinavir
- Paclitaxel
- Quinine
- Ritonavir
- Sarilumab
- Siltuximab
- Sofosbuvir and velpatasvir and voxilaprevir
- Ticagrelor
- Tocilizumab
Source: FDA drug label (Lovastatin), Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., effective May 6, 2026 (SPL set df7ddf4f-d569-431e-81f1-9129d7043150), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What do FAERS reports show for lovastatin?
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System holds 25,526 reports that list lovastatin among the medicines taken, through July 30, 2026, each a report of something that happened, not proof the medicine caused it; 2,065 are coded as a death and 6,957 as a hospital stay. Counts follow how widely a medicine is used and watched, and they are not a measure of how risky it is.
Reports received each year
The most reported reactions
Source: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) via openFDA, reports through July 30, 2026
What else is labeled for the same conditions as lovastatin?
20 other medicines are given the same way (oral) and in the same FDA class as lovastatin or labeled mainly for the same use (high cholesterol), the same class first. High cholesterol lists all 25 medicines labeled for it, by any route. The first 8 are below. They are listed as records, not as substitutes: whether one can replace another is a prescriber's decision.
| Medicine | Shared indication | Generic labelers (oral) | Pharmacy cost | Shortage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atorvastatin | Heart attack and coronary artery disease, High cholesterol | 61 labelers | $0.0228 per tablet 10 mg tablet | No current entry |
| Rosuvastatin | Heart attack and coronary artery disease, High cholesterol | 46 labelers | $0.0692 per tablet 40 mg tablet | No current entry |
| Pravastatin | Heart attack and coronary artery disease, High cholesterol | 37 labelers | $0.058 per tablet 20 mg tablet | No current entry |
| Simvastatin | Heart attack and coronary artery disease, High cholesterol | 27 labelers | $0.0321 per tablet 20 mg tablet | No current entry |
| Amlodipine and atorvastatin | Heart attack and coronary artery disease, High cholesterol | 6 labelers | $1.34 per unit 10-40 mg | No current entry |
| Pitavastatin | High cholesterol | 12 labelers | $0.954 per tablet 2 mg tablet | No current entry |
| Ezetimibe and simvastatin | Heart attack and coronary artery disease, High cholesterol | 7 labelers | $0.285 per unit 10-80 mg | No current entry |
| Fluvastatin | High cholesterol | 4 labelers | $2.88 per tablet 80 mg tablet | A presentation being discontinued |
Every medicine labeled for the same conditions as lovastatin
Source: FDA drug labels (indications), NDC Directory, NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages (October 8, 2026)
How does lovastatin compare with medicines for the same use?
5 side-by-side pages set lovastatin beside a medicine whose label shares a use: approvals, generics, pharmacy cost, warnings and supply.
What next?
- Alternatives to lovastatin
- 20 medicines for the same use
- Other statins
- the pharmacologic class, with prices and generics
- Lovastatin side effects
- the label's list beside FAERS reports
- Check an interaction
- what two or more labels say about each other