AstraZeneca Plc has agreed to pay an undisclosed sum to acquire a preclinical small molecule programme from Dogma Therapeutics Inc for the potential treatment of dyslipidaemia, a disorder characterised by abnormal amounts of lipids in the blood. The small molecule inhibits PCSK9, a protein that regulates levels of low-density lipoproteins. High levels of these lipoproteins can lead to a build-up of cholesterol in the arteries, a risk for cardiovascular disease.