Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

A round-up of the ONWARDS phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the novel weekly insulin icodec in people with diabetes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Medicine
Published in: BMC Medicine 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Review

PCSK9 inhibition: the way forward in the treatment of dyslipidemia

Authors: Robert M. Stoekenbroek, John JP Kastelein, Roeland Huijgen

Published in: BMC Medicine | Issue 1/2015

Login to get access

Abstract

Barely a decade after the discovery of the gene encoding proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) and its recognition as a key player in cholesterol metabolism, PCSK9 inhibition is now considered an exciting approach in the reduction of residual risk of cardiovascular disease. The progress from PCSK9 discovery to the development of targeted treatment has been unprecedented in terms of scale and speed. The first suggestion of a link between PCSK9 and hypercholesterolemia was published in 2003; a decade later, two meta-analyses of clinical trials comparing anti-PCSK9 treatment to placebo or ezetimibe, including >10,000 hypercholesterolemic individuals, were published. Currently, three PCSK9 inhibitors are being evaluated in clinical outcome trials and the results will determine the future of these lipid-lowering therapies by establishing their clinical efficacy in terms of cardiovascular event reduction, safety, and the consequences of prolonged exposure to very low levels of LDL-cholesterol. Irrespective of their outcomes, the exceptionally rapid development of these drugs exemplifies how novel technologies, genetic validation, and rapid clinical progression provide the tools to expedite the development of new drugs.
Literature
1.
Randomised trial of cholesterol lowering in 4444 patients with coronary heart disease: the Scandinavian Simvastatin Survival Study (4S). Lancet. 1994;344:1383–9.
2.
Cannon CP, Blazing MA, Giugliano RP, McCagg A, White JA, Theroux P, et al. IMPROVE-IT Investigators. Ezetimibe added to statin therapy after acute coronary syndromes. N Engl J Med. 2015;372:2387–97.CrossRefPubMed
3.
Barter PJ, Caulfield M, Eriksson M, Grundy SM, Kastelein JJ, Komajda M, et al. ILLUMINATE Investigators. Effects of torcetrapib in patients at high risk for coronary events. N Engl J Med. 2007;357:2109–22.CrossRefPubMed
4.
Investigators AIM-HIGH, Boden WE, Probstfield JL, Anderson T, Chaitman BR, Desvignes-Nickens P, et al. Niacin in patients with low HDL cholesterol levels receiving intensive statin therapy. N Engl J Med. 2011;365:2255–67.CrossRef
5.
HPS2-THRIVE Collaborative Group, Landray MJ, Haynes R, Hopewell JC, Parish S, Aung T, et al. Effects of extended-release niacin with laropiprant in high-risk patients. N Engl J Med. 2014;371:203–12.CrossRef
6.
Schwartz GG, Olsson AG, Abt M, Ballantyne CM, Barter PJ, Brumm J, et al. dal-OUTCOMES Investigators. Effects of dalcetrapib in patients with a recent acute coronary syndrome. N Engl J Med. 2012;367:2089–99.CrossRefPubMed
7.
ACCORD Study Group, Ginsberg HN, Elam MB, Lovato LC, Crouse 3rd JR, Leiter LA, et al. Effects of combination lipid therapy in type 2 diabetes mellitus. N Engl J Med. 2010;362:1563–74.CrossRef
8.
Keech A, Simes RJ, Barter P, Best J, Scott R, Taskinen MR, et al. FIELD study investigators. Effects of long-term fenofibrate therapy on cardiovascular events in 9795 people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (the FIELD study): randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2005;366:1849–61.CrossRefPubMed
9.
Stone NJ, Robinson JG, Lichtenstein AH, Bairey Merz CN, Blum CB, Eckel RH, et al. American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. 2013 ACC/AHA guideline on the treatment of blood cholesterol to reduce atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk in adults: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014;63:2889–934.CrossRefPubMed
10.
Chodick G, Shalev V, Gerber Y, Heymann AD, Silber H, Simah V, et al. Long-term persistence with statin treatment in a not-for-profit health maintenance organization: a population-based retrospective cohort study in Israel. Clin Ther. 2008;30:2167–79.CrossRefPubMed
11.
Pijlman AH, Huijgen R, Verhagen SN, Imholz BP, Liem AH, Kastelein JJ, et al. Evaluation of cholesterol lowering treatment of patients with familial hypercholesterolemia: a large cross-sectional study in The Netherlands. Atherosclerosis. 2010;209:189–94.CrossRefPubMed
12.
Abifadel M, Varret M, Rabes JP, Allard D, Ouguerram K, Devillers M, et al. Mutations in PCSK9 cause autosomal dominant hypercholesterolemia. Nat Genet. 2003;34:154–6.CrossRefPubMed
13.
14.
Abifadel M, Elbitar S, El Khoury P, Ghaleb Y, Chemaly M, Moussalli ML, et al. Living the PCSK9 adventure: from the identification of a new gene in familial hypercholesterolemia towards a potential new class of anticholesterol drugs. Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2014;16:439.CrossRefPubMed
15.
Fitzgerald K, Frank-Kamenetsky M, Shulga-Morskaya S, Liebow A, Bettencourt BR, Sutherland JE, et al. Effect of an RNA interference drug on the synthesis of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) and the concentration of serum LDL cholesterol in healthy volunteers: a randomised, single-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 1 trial. Lancet. 2014;383:60–8.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
16.
Duff CJ, Scott MJ, Kirby IT, Hutchinson SE, Martin SL, Hooper NM. Antibody-mediated disruption of the interaction between PCSK9 and the low-density lipoprotein receptor. Biochem J. 2009;419:577–84.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
17.
Stein EA, Mellis S, Yancopoulos GD, Stahl N, Logan D, Smith WB, et al. Effect of a monoclonal antibody to PCSK9 on LDL cholesterol. N Engl J Med. 2012;366:1108–18.CrossRefPubMed
18.
19.
Navarese EP, Kolodziejczak M, Schulze V, Gurbel PA, Tantry U, Lin Y, et al. Effects of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 antibodies in adults with hypercholesterolemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Intern Med. 2015;163:40–51.CrossRefPubMed
20.
Zhang XL, Zhu QQ, Zhu L, Chen JZ, Chen QH, Li GN, et al. Safety and efficacy of anti-PCSK9 antibodies: a meta-analysis of 25 randomized, controlled trials. BMC Med. 2015;13:123.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
21.
Sabatine MS, Giugliano RP, Wiviott SD, Raal FJ, Blom DJ, Robinson J, et al. Open-Label Study of Long-Term Evaluation against LDL Cholesterol (OSLER) Investigators. Efficacy and safety of evolocumab in reducing lipids and cardiovascular events. N Engl J Med. 2015;372:1500–9.CrossRefPubMed
22.
Ballantyne CM, Neutel J, Cropp A, Duggan W, Wang EQ, Plowchalk D, et al. Results of bococizumab, a monoclonal antibody against proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9, from a randomized, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging study in statin-treated subjects with hypercholesterolemia. Am J Cardiol. 2015;115:1212–21.CrossRefPubMed
23.
Robinson JG, Farnier M, Krempf M, Bergeron J, Luc G, Averna M, et al. Efficacy and safety of alirocumab in reducing lipids and cardiovascular events. N Engl J Med. 2015;372:1489–99.CrossRefPubMed
24.
Cholesterol Treatment Trialists’ (CTT) Collaboration, Baigent C, Blackwell L, Emberson J, Holland LE, Reith C, et al. Efficacy and safety of more intensive lowering of LDL cholesterol: a meta-analysis of data from 170,000 participants in 26 randomised trials. Lancet. 2010;376:1670–81.CrossRef
25.
Boekholdt SM, Hovingh GK, Mora S, Arsenault BJ, Amarenco P, Pedersen TR, et al. Very low levels of atherogenic lipoproteins and the risk for cardiovascular events: a meta-analysis of statin trials. J Am College Cardiol. 2014;64:485–94.CrossRef
26.
27.
28.
29.
Cohen JD, Brinton EA, Ito MK, Jacobson TA. Understanding Statin Use in America and Gaps in Patient Education (USAGE): an internet-based survey of 10,138 current and former statin users. J Clin Lipidol. 2012;6:208–15.CrossRefPubMed
30.
Stroes E, Colquhoun D, Sullivan D, Civeira F, Rosenson RS, Watts GF, et al. Anti-PCSK9 antibody effectively lowers cholesterol in patients with statin intolerance: the GAUSS-2 randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 clinical trial of evolocumab. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2014;63:2541–8.CrossRefPubMed
31.
Sullivan D, Olsson AG, Scott R, Kim JB, Xue A, Gebski V, et al. Effect of a monoclonal antibody to PCSK9 on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in statin-intolerant patients: the GAUSS randomized trial. JAMA. 2012;308:2497–506.CrossRefPubMed
32.
33.
Stroes ES, Thompson PD, Corsini A, Vladutiu GD, Raal FJ, Ray KK, et al. Statin-associated muscle symptoms: impact on statin therapy-European Atherosclerosis Society Consensus Panel Statement on Assessment, Aetiology and Management. Eur Heart J. 2015;36:1012–22.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
34.
Cuchel M, Bruckert E, Ginsberg HN, Raal FJ, Santos RD, Hegele RA, et al. Homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia: new insights and guidance for clinicians to improve detection and clinical management. A position paper from the Consensus Panel on Familial Hypercholesterolaemia of the European Atherosclerosis Society. Eur Heart J. 2014;35:2146–57.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
35.
Cuchel M, Meagher EA, du Toit TH, Blom DJ, Marais AD, Hegele RA, et al. Phase 3 HoFH Lomitapide Study investigators. Efficacy and safety of a microsomal triglyceride transfer protein inhibitor in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia: a single-arm, open-label, phase 3 study. Lancet. 2013;381:40–6.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
36.
Raal FJ, Santos RD, Blom DJ, Marais AD, Charng MJ, Cromwell WC, et al. Mipomersen, an apolipoprotein B synthesis inhibitor, for lowering of LDL cholesterol concentrations in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet. 2010;375:998–1006.CrossRefPubMed
37.
Stefanutti C, Blom DJ, Averna MR, Meagher EA, Theron HD, Marais AD, et al. The lipid-lowering effects of lomitapide are unaffected by adjunctive apheresis in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia—A post-hoc analysis of a Phase 3, single-arm, open-label trial. Atherosclerosis. 2015;240:408–14.CrossRefPubMed
38.
Raal FJ, Honarpour N, Blom DJ, Hovingh GK, Xu F, Scott R, et al. TESLA Investigators. Inhibition of PCSK9 with evolocumab in homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (TESLA Part B): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet. 2015;385:341–50.CrossRefPubMed
39.
Mundal L, Sarancic M, Ose L, Iversen PO, Borgan JK, Veierod MB, et al. Mortality among patients with familial hypercholesterolemia: a registry-based study in Norway, 1992-2010. J Am Heart Assoc. 2014;3:e001236.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
40.
Raal FJ, Stein EA, Dufour R, Turner T, Civeira F, Burgess L, et al. RUTHERFORD-2 Investigators. PCSK9 inhibition with evolocumab (AMG 145) in heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (RUTHERFORD-2): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet. 2015;385:331–40.CrossRefPubMed
41.
Kastelein JJ, Robinson JG, Farnier M, Krempf M, Langslet G, Lorenzato C, et al. Efficacy and safety of alirocumab in patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia not adequately controlled with current lipid-lowering therapy: design and rationale of the ODYSSEY FH studies. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther. 2014;28:281–9.PubMedCentralCrossRefPubMed
42.
Metadata
Title
PCSK9 inhibition: the way forward in the treatment of dyslipidemia
Authors
Robert M. Stoekenbroek
John JP Kastelein
Roeland Huijgen
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Medicine / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1741-7015
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-015-0503-4

Other articles of this Issue 1/2015

BMC Medicine 1/2015 Go to the issue

Research article

Fluorescent nanodiamonds as a relevant tag for the assessment of alum adjuvant particle biodisposition

Research article

Improved survival among colon cancer patients with increased differentially expressed pathways

Research article

Maternal and child health nurse screening and care for mothers experiencing domestic violence (MOVE): a cluster randomised trial

Research article

Extending the elderly- and risk-group programme of vaccination against seasonal influenza in England and Wales: a cost-effectiveness study

Research article

Sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine plus azithromycin for the prevention of low birthweight in Papua New Guinea: a randomised controlled trial

Research article

A systematic review of cost-effectiveness analyses of complex wound interventions reveals optimal treatments for specific wound types