A forthcoming AstraZeneca study could dramatically increase the market for cholesterol-lowering drugs, otherwise known as statins, which are already pharma’s biggest success story, Forbes writes.

Known as Jupiter, the study tested the theory that Crestor combats lower artery inflammation, which can cause cholesterol plaque to burst into heart-attack-causing clots. Some 18,000 people were tested with low levels of LDL, but high levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), which could indicate that the arteries are inflamed, the mag writes.

In March, the study was stopped early because of “unequivocal” benefit, and now, some scientists hope for blowout results when the full data are presented on November 9 at the American Heart Association meeting, Forbes says. And by the way, since Jupiter’s test population is 40 percent women, it is likely to be the first study to prove statins prevent first heart attacks in both sexes.

“It is a major study,” Deepak Bhatt, head of cardiology for the Boston VA Healthcare Systems, tells Forbes. And Steven Nissen of the Cleveland Clinic tells the mag the study is “potentially a game-changer. There could be a much larger population of patients that may benefit than are currently treated.”

Astra paid for the study after Pfizer passed on it and will likely be the biggest beneficiary, Forbes points out, adding that only Astra will be able to use Jupiter in plugging its drug, and Crestor is the most potent statin for lowering both cholesterol and CRP.

Statin sales hit $34 billion last year, but are stalling, thanks to cheaper generics, but sales of Crestor, the third-most-popular statin, are up 30 percent, partly due to controversy over Vytorin, which is sold by Merck and Schering-Plough.

However, Forbes also notes that Crestor’s sales could be tempered by other factors. A cheaper generic version of Lipitor is coming in three years and could eat into Crestor sales. Allen Taylor, a Washington, DC cardiologist, says people with CRP often have other risk factors, like being overweight, and may be on statins, anyway. Plus, widespread screening for high CRP would be expensive, says James Stein of the University of Wisconsin. But if Crestor clearly saves the lives of people with high CRP counts, patients will probably find a way to get the test and the drug, the mag concludes.