Polymers of structure (I):
in which, R¹ is a saturated or unsaturated C₆ to C₂₀ alkyl group; R² and R³ are the same or different and are each C₁₋₄alkyl; X⁻ is a physiologically acceptable counter ion; a, b and c are numbers which indicate the relative molar percentages of the units present in a random distribution in said polymer, (b) being from about 0.5 to about 10 molar percent, and (c) being from about 30 to about 99 molar percent; and n is a number indicating the number of repeating units in said polymer, processes for their preparation, intermediates useful in their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use in therapy for the lowering of serum cholesterol levels in humans.
Polystyrene polymers having a quaternized ammonium group and their use in a method of treatment of hypercholesterolaemia. A particular compound of the invention is N,N-dimethyl-N-dodecylammoniomethyl-substituted polystyrene.