What is Repatha, and what is it used for?
Repatha (evolocumab) Injection, an antibody cholesterol medication, is a human monoclonal immunoglobulin G2 (IgG2) as an adjunct to diet and maximally tolerated statin therapy for the treatment of adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) or clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD), who require additional lowering of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Repatha is also indicated as an adjunct to diet and other LDL-lowering therapies (e.g., statins, ezetimibe, LDL apheresis) for the treatment of patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) who require additional lowering of LDL-C.
The safety and effectiveness of REPATHA have not been established in pediatric patients with HoFH who are younger than 13 years old.
What are the side effects of Repatha?
Common side effects of Repatha include:
- runny or stuffy nose,
- upper respiratory tract infection,
- influenza,
- back pain,
- injection site reactions (redness, pain, and bruising),
- allergic reactions (rash and hives),
- cough,
- urinary tract infection,
- sinus infection,
- headache,
- muscle pain,
- dizziness,
- high blood pressure,
- diarrhea, and
- stomach upset.
What is the dosage of Repatha?
The recommended subcutaneous dosage of Repatha in adults with established cardiovascular disease or in adults with primary hyperlipidemia (including heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia [HeFH]) is either 140 mg every 2 weeks OR 420 mg once monthly, based on patient preference for dosing frequency and injection volume. When switching dosage regimens, administer the first dose of the new regimen on the next scheduled date of the prior regimen.
The recommended subcutaneous dosage of Repatha in patients with HoFH is 420 mg once monthly. In patients with HoFH, measure LDL-C levels 4 to 8 weeks after starting Repatha, since response to therapy will depend on the degree of LDL-receptor function.
When monitoring LDL-C for patients receiving Repatha 420 mg once monthly, note that LDL-C can vary considerably during the dosing interval in some patients.
- If a dose is missed, instruct the patient to administer Repatha within 7 days from the missed dose and resume the patient's original schedule.
- If an every-2-week dose is not administered within 7 days, instruct the patient to wait until the next dose on the original schedule.
- If a once-monthly dose is not administered within 7 days, instruct the patient to administer the dose and start a new schedule based on this date.

QUESTION
What is cholesterol? See AnswerIs Repatha safe to use while pregnant or breastfeeding?
There are no data available on use of Repatha in pregnant women to inform a drug-associated risk.
In animal reproduction studies, there were no effects on pregnancy or neonatal/infant development when monkeys were subcutaneously administered evolocumab from organogenesis through parturition at dose exposures up to 12 times the exposure at the maximum recommended human dose of 420 mg every month.
In a similar study with another drug in the PCSK9 inhibitor antibody class, humoral immune suppression was observed in infant monkeys exposed to that drug in utero at all doses. The exposures where immune suppression occurred in infant monkeys were greater than those expected clinically.
No assessment for immune suppression was conducted with evolocumab in infant monkeys. Measurable evolocumab serum concentrations were observed in the infant monkeys at birth at comparable levels to maternal serum, indicating that evolocumab, like other IgG antibodies, crosses the placental barrier.
FDA’s experience with monoclonal antibodies in humans indicates that they are unlikely to cross the placenta in the first trimester; however, they are likely to cross the placenta in increasing amounts in the second and third trimester. Consider the benefits and risks of Repatha and possible risks to the fetus before prescribing Repatha to pregnant women.
In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2-4% and 15-20%, respectively.
There is a pregnancy exposure registry that monitors pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to Repatha during pregnancy.
Please contact 1-877-311-8972 or https://mothertobaby.org/ongoing-study/repatha/ to enroll in or to obtain information about the registry.
There is no information regarding the presence of evolocumab in human milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effects on milk production. The development and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother's clinical need for Repatha and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from Repatha or from the underlying maternal condition. Human IgG is present in human milk, but published data suggest that breast milk antibodies do not enter the neonatal and infant circulation in substantial amounts.
Latest Cholesterol News
Daily Health News
Trending on MedicineNet
Summary
Repatha (evolocumab) is an injectable antibody cholesterol medication that reduces the risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, and coronary revascularization in adults with established cardiovascular disease. Repatha is an adjunct to diet and other LDL-lowering therapies (e.g., statins, ezetimibe, LDL apheresis) for the treatment of patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) who require additional lowering of LDL-C. Repatha has not been proven safe for children under the age of 13.
Multimedia: Slideshows, Images & Quizzes
-
Cholesterol Levels: What the Numbers Mean
Do you know the different cholesterol levels and what they mean? Learn the alphabet soup of cholesterol testing: LDL, HDL, good,...
-
Cholesterol Drugs: What to Expect With Heart Medication
When diet and exercise aren't enough, should you turn to drugs? Learn cholesterol basics, drug classes, and available drugs along...
-
Lower Your Cholesterol, Save Your Heart
Need to lower your cholesterol levels? Use these smart diet tips to quickly and easily lower your blood cholesterol levels....
-
Cholesterol: High Triglyceride Foods to Avoid
High triglycerides increase the risk of heart disease. Lower triglyceride levels and reduce cholesterol by eating foods that...
-
High Cholesterol (Hyperlipidemia) Quiz: Test Your Medical IQ
High cholesterol can be a dangerous condition. Take the Cholesterol Quiz to understand what high cholesterol means in terms of...
-
Picture of Cholesterol
Cholesterol carried in particles of low density (LDL cholesterol) is referred to as the "bad" cholesterol because elevated levels...
Related Disease Conditions
-
Cholesterol (Lowering Your Cholesterol)
High cholesterol and triglyceride levels increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Getting your cholesterol and triglyceride levels in an optimal range will help protect your heart and blood vessels. Cholesterol management may include lifestyle interventions (diet and exercise) as well as medications to get your total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides in an optimal range.
-
HDL vs. LDL Cholesterol (Good and Bad)
HDL (high-density lipoprotein), or the "good" cholesterol, and LDL (low-density lipoprotein), or the "bad" cholesterol, are lipoproteins that carry cholesterol through the veins and arteries of the body. HDL and LDL combined, is your "total" blood cholesterol. The difference between the two are that high levels of the "good," or HDL cholesterol, may protect against narrowing of the blood vessels in the body, which protects you against heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases. But high levels of LDL, or the "bad" cholesterol, may worsen the narrowing of the blood vessels in the body, which puts you at a greater risk of stroke, heart attack, and cardiovascular diseases, some of which are life threatening.Triglycerides are found in body fat and from the fats you eat.
-
High Blood Cholesterol
Second Source article from Government
-
Low Cholesterol Diet
Cholesterol is naturally produced by the body, and is a building block for cell membranes and hormones. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is the "bad" cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is the "good" cholesterol. High levels of LDL and low levels of HDL cholesterol put a person at risk for heart attack, stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA or mini stroke), and peripheral artery disease. High cholesterol can be lowered by eating foods that lower cholesterol, for example, eat more high soluble fiber foods (oatmeal, oat bran, vegetables, and certain fruits), use olive oil, eat foods fortified with plant sterols and stanols, soy, nuts, and omega-3 fatty acids. Foods that raise LDL or bad cholesterol include foods high in saturated and trans fats, fatty meats, limit egg yolks, limit milk products, limit crackers, muffins, and snacks, and avoid unhealthy fast foods that are high in fat and sugar High cholesterol treatment includes lifestyle changes (diet and exercise), and medications such as statins, bile acid resins, and fibric acid derivatives.
-
High Cholesterol: Frequently Asked Questions
Cholesterol occurs naturally in the body. High blood cholesterol levels increase a person's risk of developing heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, TIAs, and more. In addition to medication (fibrates, statins, bile acid sequestrants, and niacin), lifestyle changes can be made to lower blood cholesterol levels
Treatment & Diagnosis
- High Cholesterol (Hyperlipidemia) FAQs
- Statins - - Doing More Than Lowering Your Cholesterol?
- Cholesterol: Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- Cholesterol: The Truth About Cholesterol
- Cholesterol: HDL cholesterol ratio
- Cholesterol - Mr. D.T.'s Story of Hope
- Cholesterol Guidelines for Adults (2001)
- Cholesterol Guidelines
- Heart Attack Prevention From a Doctor's Perspective
- What Should Cholesterol Levels Be After Heart Attack?
- Can Menopause Cause High Cholesterol?
- What are Cholesterol-Lowering Statins?
- Do Bile Acid Resins Lower Cholesterol?
- Can Fibrate Drugs Lower Cholesterol?
- How Do I Lower My Cholesterol (Triglycerides)
- Does Hypothyroidism Cause High Cholesterol?
- Does Exercise Lower Cholesterol?
- What Foods Lower Cholesterol?
- Does Stress Cause High Cholesterol?
- Cholesterol Treatment
- Cholesterol, The Basics Of Prevention
Medications & Supplements

SLIDESHOW
How to Lower Your Cholesterol & Save Your Heart See SlideshowHealth Solutions From Our Sponsors

Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.