CVS Health Research Institute urges update of guidelines on cholesterol in light of PCSK9 inhibitors

The CVS Health Research Institute has urged for the current guidelines for the management of high cholesterol to be reconsidered in light of the introduction of PCSK9 inhibitors.

In the commentary, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the CVS Health Research Institute said that PCSK9 inhibitors, which it characterized as “high-cost” could “complicate treatment choices and inhibit utilization management tools to manage costs.”

Praluent (alirocumab), a PCSK9 inhibitor from Sanofi (Euronext: SAN) and Regeneron (Nasdaq: REGN), was recently cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration, and has a list price of around $14,600. An advisory committee of the FDA has recommended Repatha (evolocumab) from Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN), another PCSK9 therapy.