"People keep repeating this as gospel - that is, the notion that RVX wanted atorvastatin only, and the FDA forced their hand. Where does it come from?"

Not this AGAIN! Resverlogix initially wanted rosuvastatin (Crestor) only. Read on for a details. Plus, the comparison of the crestor vs. lipitor sub-groups was a pre-specified comparision of the primary outcome!

https://agoracom.com/ir/Resverlogix/forums/discussion/topics/731804-the-synergy-of-rosuvastatin-crestor-with-apabetalone/messages/2244047#message

"Lipitor & Crestor have different mode of actions."

Statins like lipitor and crestor have many more similarities than differences. Are there differences? Sure? But they are both small molecule inhibitors of the rate limiting enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis, HMG-CoA reductase. That is their shared primary mechanism of action for which they were identified and developed.