A lipid-lowering injection has moved one step closer to offering a new type of treatment for patients unable to control high cholesterol.

Watchdog the European Medicines Agency (EMA) last week (May 22) recommended the authorisation of Repatha (evolocumab), which it said was the first monoclonal antibody to lower cholesterol.

If approved by the European Commission, evolocumab would be used to treat patients who are unable to control their cholesterol despite taking optimal doses of statins, as well as those who are unable to take statins, the EMA said.

Evolocumab lowers cholesterol by inhibiting the activity of PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9), a protein that binds to and induces the degradation of LDL receptors, which remove LDL-cholesterol from the liver. By preventing the degradation of LDL receptors, evolocumab increases their availability to remove LDL-cholesterol from the blood.

The EMA added that Repatha – manufactured by Amgen – should be used in addition to a healthy diet, and statins or other lipid-lowering therapies if tolerated.

 

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