Alirocumab 300mg/2ml solution for injection pre-filled disposable devices
Requires a prescription from a doctor or prescriber
Alirocumab is a biopharmaceutical that obtained FDA approval in July 2015 as a second line treatment for high cholesterol in adults whose LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) is not controlled by the combination of diet and statin treatment.
Official documents, adverse reaction reporting, and safety monitoring
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Official medicine documents
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Drug safety updates
MHRA alerts for Alirocumab
Safety monitoring data
Yellow Card reports
The MHRA Yellow Card scheme collects reports of suspected side effects from healthcare professionals and patients. View the Drug Analysis Profile (iDAP) for real-world adverse reaction data.
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Suspected adverse reactions reported for Alirocumab
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Submit a Yellow Card report to the MHRA
Data from the MHRA Yellow Card scheme. A reported reaction does not necessarily mean the medicine caused it. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
EudraVigilance
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) collects suspected adverse reaction reports from across the EU/EEA through the EudraVigilance system. Search for safety data on this medicine.
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Suspected adverse reactions reported for Alirocumab
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EudraVigilance data is published by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). A suspected adverse reaction is not necessarily caused by the medicine.
1 branded products available
MHRA licensed products
View all licensed products for Alirocumab on the MHRA register
Praluent 300mg/2ml solution for injection pre-filled pens
WHO defined daily dose (DDD)
5.4 mg
Not a recommended dose. The DDD is the assumed average maintenance dose per day for a drug used for its main indication in adults. It is a statistical measure used for research and comparison purposes only.
Source: WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology, distributed via the NHS dm+d supplementary mapping files (NHSBSA). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Therapeutically similar medicines
Similarity is based on WHO Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification and on a factual NHS dm+d therapeutic-grouping code prefix. Source data: NHS dm+d via TRUD (OGL v3.0), WHO ATC/DDD Index.
NHS prescribing volume and spending trends
Guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
NICE clinical guidance(8)
Alirocumab for treating primary hypercholesterolaemia and mixed dyslipidaemia (TA393)
Inclisiran for treating primary hypercholesterolaemia or mixed dyslipidaemia (TA733)
Bempedoic acid with ezetimibe for treating primary hypercholesterolaemia or mixed dyslipidaemia (TA694)
Cardiovascular disease: risk assessment and reduction, including lipid modification (NG238)
Evolocumab for treating primary hypercholesterolaemia and mixed dyslipidaemia (TA394)
Icosapent ethyl with statin therapy for reducing the risk of cardiovascular events in people with raised triglycerides (TA805)
Familial hypercholesterolaemia: identification and management (CG71)
Evinacumab for treating homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia in people 12 years and over (TA1002)
Source: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Check stock at pharmacies and supply information
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Supply & safety information
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Pharmacy links redirect to the retailer's own search and do not represent real-time stock levels. Shortage and safety information sourced from MHRA drug safety updates (gov.uk, Crown Copyright under OGL v3.0).
Codes for healthcare professionals and prescribing systems
These codes are used by healthcare IT systems and prescribers to identify this medicine.
NHS UK identifiers
Browse tools
SNOMED CT and dm+d codes from NHS TRUD (Technology Reference data Update Distribution), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. ATC codes from the WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology (whocc.no).
Active and completed clinical studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health (NIH). Data accessed via ClinicalTrials.gov API v2. Trial information is provided for research purposes and does not constitute medical advice.
Academic studies and reviews for this medicine's active substance
Showing the 50 most relevant studies.
Reviews & meta-analyses: 26 · Randomised trials: 16 · 2015–2026
Showing the 50 most relevant studies, sorted by most relevant.
P. Guedeney, G. Giustino, S. Sorrentino, et al.
European heart journal, 2019
L. Räber, Y. Ueki, T. Otsuka, et al.
JAMA, 2022
K. Ray, H. Colhoun, M. Szarek, et al.
The lancet. Diabetes & endocrinology, 2019
G. Ghasempour, Fahimeh Zamani-Garmsiri, Farhad Sheikhnia, et al.
Current medicinal chemistry, 2023
Hai-feng Dai, Yonglin Zhu, Zuyi Chen, et al.
Endokrynologia Polska, 2023
P. Guedeney, S. Sorrentino, G. Giustino, et al.
European heart journal. Cardiovascular pharmacotherapy, 2020
H. Choi, Ji Hae Kim
Cardiovascular Therapeutics, 2023
Ho VQT, Tran NB, Nguyen N, et al.
2025
- Lipids
- Anticholesteremic Agents
- Serine Proteinase Inhibitors
BackgroundFamilial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is a hereditary disorder characterised by elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, substantially increasing the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) targeting therapies, including monoclonal antibodies and small interfering RNA (siRNA) agents, have emerged as effective lipid lowering therapies.ObjectiveTo assess the efficacy and safety of PCSK9-targeting therapy on lipid biomarkers and adverse events in patients with FH, compared with placebo on the background of standard lipid-lowering therapy.MethodsA systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted, incorporating data from 23 randomised controlled trials involving adult and paediatric FH patients treated with PCSK9 inhibitors (PCSK9i) or siRNA, including alirocumab, bococizumab, evolocumab, tafolecimab and inclisiran. Eligible studies reported changes in LDL-C, apolipoprotein B (ApoB), lipoprotein a (Lp(a)), triglycerides (TGL) and adverse effects. Pooled mean differences (MDs) and ORs with 95% CIs were calculated using random-effects models, and heterogeneity was assessed with I² statistic. This meta-analysis was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42025631510).ResultsA total of 4282 patients were included. PCSK9-targeting therapies significantly reduced LDL-C levels compared with control therapies (MD=-46.64%; 95% CI -50.77% to -42.52%; pConclusionsPCSK9i and Inclisiran demonstrate significant and sustained reductions in LDL-C, ApoB, Lp(a) and TGL in FH patients, especially in heterozygous FH patients. These agents are generally well-tolerated and represent effective treatment options for FH patients inadequately controlled by standard lipid-lowering therapies.
Abstract licence: CC BY-NC
André Saad Cleto, João Matheus Schirlo, Victor Hugo Oliveira Gomes, et al.
Diabetes, 2024
André Saad Cleto, João Matheus Schirlo, Janete Machozeki, et al.
Current Cardiology Reviews, 2025
- Cardiovascular Diseases
- Anticholesteremic Agents
- Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
Sources: aggregated from Europe PMC (EMBL-EBI), OpenAlex, Crossref, PubMed and other open scholarly databases. Retracted articles are excluded. Study information is provided for research purposes and does not constitute medical advice.
Pharmacology and chemical data from DrugBank
Key facts
Drug status
Approved
Major interactions
None known
Half-life
17–20 days
Mechanism
Alirocumab is a fully human IgG1 monoclonal antibody that binds and inhibits pro…
Food interactions
None known
Human targets
1 target
Data: DrugBank · CC BY-NC 4.0
Pharmacokinetics at a glance
Absorption
3-7 days
Half-life
17–20 days
Volume of distribution
Metabolism
Pharmacokinetic data: DrugBank · CC BY-NC 4.0
[L50637]
It is also indicated as an adjunct to diet - alone or in combination with other low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)-lowering therapies - to reduce LDL-C in adults with primary hyperlipidemia (including heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH)), adults with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH), and pediatric patients ≥8 years of age with HeFH.
[L50637]
Known interactions with other medicines. Always consult a healthcare professional.
Showing 50 of 379 interactions
How the body processes this drug — absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination
Proteins and enzymes this drug interacts with in the body
PMID:18039658
Acts via a non-proteolytic mechanism to enhance the degradation of the hepatic LDLR through a clathrin LDLRAP1/ARH-mediated pathway. May prevent the recycling of LDLR from endosomes to the cell surface or direct it to lysosomes for degradation.
Can induce ubiquitination of LDLR leading to its subsequent degradation .
PMID:17461796 PMID:18197702 PMID:18799458 PMID:22074827
Inhibits intracellular degradation of APOB via the autophagosome/lysosome pathway in a LDLR-independent manner. Involved in the disposal of non-acetylated intermediates of BACE1 in the early secretory pathway .
PMID:18660751
Inhibits epithelial Na(+) channel (ENaC)-mediated Na(+) absorption by reducing ENaC surface expression primarily by increasing its proteasomal degradation. Regulates neuronal apoptosis via modulation of LRP8/APOER2 levels and related anti-apoptotic signaling pathways
ATC C10AX14
Chemical identifiers
CAS, UNII, InChI Key and database cross-references
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Chemical identifiers
CAS, UNII, InChI Key and database cross-references
Linked compound data from DrugBank Open Data (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Alirocumab
DrugBank citations
If you use DrugBank data in your research, please cite:
- DrugBank 6.02024Recommended citationKnox C., Wilson M., Klinger C.M., et alDrugBank 6.0: the DrugBank Knowledgebase for 2024Nucleic Acids Res. 2024 Jan 552(D1):D1265-D1275
- DrugBank 5.02018Wishart D.S., Feunang Y.D., Guo A.C., et alDrugBank 5.0: a major update to the DrugBank database for 2018Nucleic Acids Res. 2017 Nov 846(D1):D1074-D1082
- DrugBank 4.02014Law V., Knox C., Djoumbou Y., et alDrugBank 4.0: shedding new light on drug metabolismNucleic Acids Res. 2014 Jan 142(1):D1091-7
- DrugBank 3.02011Knox C., Law V., Jewison T., et alDrugBank 3.0: a comprehensive resource for 'omics' research on drugsNucleic Acids Res. 2011 Jan39(Database issue):D1035-41
- DrugBank 2.02008Wishart D.S., Knox C., Guo A.C., et alDrugBank: a knowledgebase for drugs, drug actions and drug targets.Nucleic Acids Research2008 Jan36(Database issue):D901-6
- DrugBank 1.02006Wishart D.S., Knox C., Guo A.C., et alDrugBank: a comprehensive resource for in silico drug discovery and exploration.Nucleic Acids Research2006 Jan 134(Database issue):D668-72