Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common cause of death in the United States and approximately one third of American adults have CVD. Low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) is a major modifiable risk factor for myocardial infarction, stroke, and death from cardiovascular disease. The use of statins to decrease LDL has contributed to the marked decline in death from CVD since 1950, but some patients are not able to tolerate statins and others have inadequate reductions in LDL. In June 2015, the FDA advisory panel voted to recommend approval of two human monoclonal antibodies that target proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) in the blood and markedly reduce LDL cholesterol levels.

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