The American Heart Association (AHA) has cited injectable PCSK9 inhibitors Praluent (alirocumab) and Repatha (evolocumab) as two of the top 10 research advances of 2015.
Praluent and Repatha are therapies to lower LDL cholesterol levels when used with statins. They were approved last summer by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“High-intensity statins reduce LDL up to 50 percent, but if you add a PCSK9 inhibitor to that, you reduce LDL another 50 to 70 percent on top of statins -- it’s remarkable,” Dr. Jennifer Robinson, head of the Praluent study, said.
PCSK9 inhibitors like Praluent and Repatha cover liver cells and clear LDL, while statins prevent cholesterol from forming. Although the majority of patients with high cholesterol are taking statins, some patients need additional treatment.
