Baylor College of Medicine is studying news ways to reduce and maintain cholesterol levels in one's body, which also includes genetic therapy.
"There are those who can't tolerate high dosages of statins because of adverse side effects and even those who have hereditary problems where statins are just not effective," said Dr. Christie Ballantyne, professor of medicine and section chief of cardiology and cardiovascular research in the department of medicine at BCM.
The department is focusing on gene variants of PCSK9, which can reduce or increase cholesterol levels. This gene variant binds Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) receptors and prevents them from functioning properly.
LDL receptors are known to remove bad cholesterol from the bloodstream.
Ballantyne said that researchers created PCSK9 antibodies/protein inhibitors that fasten around PCSK9 and prevent them from interacting with LDL.
As a result, one can observe more than 50 percent reduction in LDL.
These PCSK9 antibodies can be injected into the body once or twice a month.
Ballantyne said that researchers have conducted tests on smaller groups of people that have shown good tolerance to the antibodies and has resulted in reduction of LDL levels.
He said that their current goal is to incorporate this test on a larger group of statin-intolerant individuals and determine how this treatment works in combination with other treatments.
