Scientists Developing Cheap Vaccine That Could Control High Cholesterol - According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more
than 73 million adults in the United States of America, or 31.7 percent
of the population, have high low-density lipoprotein, or what we call
high “bad cholesterol.” Apparently, if you have high bad cholesterol in
your body, then you’re one step closer to developing heart issues, and
stroke.
Our body makes cholesterol, and we can also get it by eating dairy
products, eggs and meats. Americans love meat, so more than 31 percent
of population with high bad cholesterol shouldn’t surprise anyone.
Speaking of surprise, the CDC also found that fewer than 1 out of
every 3 American adults with high bad cholesterol has the condition
under control.
Doctors and dietitians know where the problem lies - bad eating
habit. But how can we resist the temptation to eat our favorite food,
for instance, burger, hotdogs, and so on?
What if there’s a wonder drug that could prevent high cholesterol and give humans the freedom to eat a bit more?
Luckily, there’s a new drug that may soon end the problem of bad
cholesterol in America. According to a published research this week,
scientists from the University of New Mexico and National Institutes of
health in the United States have been developing a vaccine that could
prevent high bad cholesterol.
It’s still in its early stages, meaning, scientists had successfully
tested the drug in mice and macaques - and not tested with humans, yet.
This vaccine targets a protein called PCSK9 which controls cholesterol
levels in the blood. Co-author Dr. Bryce Chackerian from the University
of New Mexico said this vaccine may be much more effective than statins.
Their research claims a single vaccine has been shown to reduce
cholesterol levels dramatically in mice and macaques — so they believe
the vaccine may be effective in humans too.
The PCSK9 protein controls cholesterol by encouraging our body to
break down receptors that cholesterol binds to when it’s flushed out of
the body. Adults with mutation in the protein often suffer from
increased risk of heart disease, while people who don’t produce the
protein have decreased risk. By targeting this protein, the vaccine can
stop it from functioning, and lower the amount of cholesterol in the
blood.
The PCSK9 is a common target for drug makers to control human
cholesterol, but this vaccine according to researchers, may lower the
cost of controlling bad cholesterol. For instance, the
FDA-approved Alirocumab and Evolocumab, are both effective but they cost
“upwards of $10,000 per year.”
Researchers said in a press release that their new vaccine drug
“appears to be even more effective than these monoclonal antibody-based
treatments (Alirocumab and Evolocumab), at a fraction of the cost.” Source: StGist
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