Clinical Trends for April 2016

Ryan Syrek

Disclosures

April 29, 2016

Clinical Trend of the Week (April 9-15): PCSK9 Inhibitors

With the first PCSK9 inhibitors entering the US market, physicians are weighing the possible efficacy against the remarkably high costs. Annual costs for drugs approved in this class exceed $14,000. Proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors are lipid-lowering drugs administered by injection on a monthly or bimonthly basis. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first drug in the class, alirocumab, in July 2015 and the second, evolocumab, in August 2015. A third, bococizumab, is currently undergoing phase 3 trials. From the high cost to the training required in injection administration and the need for access to specialty pharmacies, PCSK9 inhibitors are associated with numerous factors that must be considered by physicians, likely leading to this week’s surge in popularity for searches on the term.

For more information on PCSK9 inhibitors, read here.

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