NEW MATERIAL:A protein CRP having the activity to lower cholesterol level and having the following characteristics. Molecular weight, 30,000±7,000 (by gel- filtration); isoelectric point, 7.9±0.2; amino acid composition, (mol%) table I ; pattern of electrophoresis, a sharp single band at the anode side in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis [polyacrylamide concentration of 7% in tris-glycine buffer solution (8.3pH)].

USE: A cholesterol level lowering or antiarteriosclerotic agent.

PROCESS: Various microbial strains belonging Streptococcus genus (e.g. Streptococcus faecium) are cultured aerobically in a liquid medium without agitation, and the resultant culture liquid is centrifuged to collect the bacterial cells, which are subjected to a combination of extraction by precipitation and redissolution, extraction with solvent, dialysis, column chromatography, electrophoresis, gel filtration, etc. to obtain the objective protein CRP. It is administered by oral administration, peritoneal infusion, intravenous injection, etc. in doses of 1μgW 1g/kg per dose.