A new class of cholesterol drugs is under development that appears to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes and lower levels of "bad" cholesterol better than anything currently on the market. However, the research is preliminary but promising.
One of the drugs, evulocumab, is made by Amgen and the other, alirocumab, is made by Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. The drugs lower the levels of the low-density lipoprotein (the "bad" cholesterol) and may work better than the statin drugs that revolutionized the treatment of high cholesterol levels. Statins are the mainstay drugs currently. But although they lower cholesterol levels, it is not known for certain if the new drugs actually prevent heart attacks and strokes.
Evulocumab and alirocumab are both monoclonal antibodies. They work by inhibiting a protein called PCSK9 which helps regulate cholesterol. It is possible that they could be approved by the Food and Drug Administration this year. Both drugs reduce levels of low-density lipoproteins by 60%.
The two drugs as yet only have been tested in humans to see if they lower levels of low-density lipoproteins and if they are safe. These early tests were not intended to see if they prevent cardiovascular events like heart attack or stroke. However, there appears to be a benefit because the tests have cut the rate of cardiovascular events by about 50%, which is a large reduction. Larger studies will need to be done to determine whether they actually do reduce the rate of cardiovascular events.
The two drugs reduce levels of low-density lipoprotein to very low levels, a much greater reduction than seen with statin drugs. Statin drugs are taken by millions of people in the United States. They reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by reducing levels of low-density lipoproteins.
Side effects for evulocumab and alirocumab include some memory problems.
