Pitavastatin (NK-104) is a potent HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, Pitavastatin inhibited cholesterol synthesis from acetic acid with an IC50 of 5.8 nM in a human liver cancer cell line (HepG2).IC50 value: 5.8 nM(cholesterol synthesis from aceticacid in HepG2) [1]Target: HMG-CoA reductasein vitro: Pitavastatin inhibited cholesterol synthesis from aceticacid with an IC50 of 5.8 nM in a human liver cancer cell line (HepG2), which indicates that is 2.9 and 5.7 times as potent as simvastatin and atorvastatin, respectively. When the inhibitory activity interms of the ED50 was compared with that of simvastatin,pitavastatin showed a 3-fold stronger activity in the rat and 15-fold stronger activity in a guinea pig model.22 The inhibitory effect of pitavastatin on sterol synthesis is thought to be liver-selective [1]. pitavastatin reduces total and phosphorylated tau levels in a cellular model of tauopathy, and in primary neuronal cultures. The decrease caused by pitavastatin is reversed by the addition of mevalonate, or geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate. The maturation of small G proteins, including RhoA was disrupted by pitavastatin, as was the activity of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), a major tau kinase [4].in vivo: Intravenous treatment with pitavastatin-incorporated nanoparticles, but not with control nanoparticles or pitavastatin alone, inhibited plaque destabilization and rupture associated with decreased monocyte infiltration and gelatinase activity in the plaque[2].The EAM model was established in BALB/c mice by immunization with murine α-myosin heavy chain. Mice were fed pitavastatin (5 mg/kg) or vehicle once daily for 3 weeks from day 0 to day 21 after immunization [3].

References:
[1]. Morikawa S, et al. Relative induction of mRNA for HMG CoA reductase and LDL receptor by five different HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors in cultured human cells. J Atheroscler Thromb. 2000;7(3):138-44.
[2]. Katsuki S, et al. Nanoparticle-mediated delivery of pitavastatin inhibits atherosclerotic plaque destabilization/rupture in mice by regulating the recruitment of inflammatory monocytes. Circulation. 2014 Feb 25;129(8):896-906.
[3]. Tajiri K, et al. Pitavastatin regulates helper T-cell differentiation and ameliorates autoimmune myocarditis in mice. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther. 2013 Oct;27(5):413-24.
[4]. Hamano T, et al. Pitavastatin decreases tau levels via the inactivation of Rho/ROCK. Neurobiol Aging. 2012 Oct;33(10):2306-20.