title: Focus on alirocumab: A PCSK9 antibody to treat hypercholesterolemia.
abstract: Statin treatment represents the gold standard in the reduction of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and cardiovascular risk. Although statin therapy is generally well tolerated, some patients fail to achieve the target level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol or discontinue the treatment for the occurrence of adverse events. In recent years new lipid-modifying agents have been studied to overcome these limitations and to reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol plasma levels. Alirocumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that inhibits proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9, thereby preventing its interaction with low density lipoprotein receptors. Several trials have been conducted in the last few years to evaluate long-term effects of this new molecule on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and cardiovascular risk.
authors.affiliation: Section of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, School of Medicine, Policlinico, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Fiorella
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Devito
authors.affiliation: Section of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, School of Medicine, Policlinico, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Annapaola
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zito
authors.affiliation: Section of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, School of Medicine, Policlinico, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.affiliation: Section of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, School of Medicine, Policlinico, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carbonara
authors.affiliation: Section of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, School of Medicine, Policlinico, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dentamaro
authors.affiliation: Section of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, School of Medicine, Policlinico, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cortese
authors.affiliation: Section of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, School of Medicine, Policlinico, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Santa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carbonara
authors.affiliation: Section of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, School of Medicine, Policlinico, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy. Electronic address: marcomatteo.ciccone@uniba.it.
authors.forename: Marco Matteo
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Ciccone
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000071449:Proprotein Convertase 9; D043484:Proprotein Convertases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000097:blood; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; C472125:PCSK9 protein, human; D000071449:Proprotein Convertase 9; D043484:Proprotein Convertases; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; C571059:alirocumab
keywords: Alirocumab; Cardiovascular risk; Hypercholesterolemia; Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; Monoclonal antibody; PCSK9; Statin