New drugs promise to melt away high cholesterol

Patients that suffer from abnormally high cholesterol can benefit from a new class of drugs, but the cost may cause problems for some.

Affordable cholesterol-lowering drugs like statins work for the majority of people, but there are about 10 million people in the United States who can’t take those drugs or who suffer from a genetic disease. Familial hypercholesterolemia is a genetic disease that causes uncontrollable high cholesterol even with the highest doses of traditional medicines.

PCSK9 inhibitors such as Praluent, from Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, and Repatha, from Amgen, represent a new way of tackling cholesterol. They have been shown to reduce cholesterol in eligible patients by 50- to 60 percent after a year’s worth of treatment.
The drawback to the drug is the price tag. A year’s worth of Praluent is around $14,600 and Repatha demands a similar price. It is likely, however, that patients could obtain discounts from 30 to 65 percent off the retail price, according to The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America.

Health insurance companies may be hesitant to approve the use of these drugs as long-term use could end up costing them billions of dollars in benefits. Prescribing this treatment might end up saving them money in the long run as the estimated lifetime cost of heart failure is $110,000 – many years worth of a life-saving medicine.