Breakthrough Cholesterol-Lowering Vaccine Holds Promise in Reducing Heart Disease

Scientists at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine have developed a vaccine that could lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. The vaccine, which targets the cholesterol-raising protein PCSK9, lowered LDL (bad) cholesterol by nearly 30% in mice and monkeys. If successful in human trials, the vaccine could be administered once a year and cost less than $100 per dose. High cholesterol affects two in five American adults and is a key risk factor for heart disease, which claims nearly 18 million lives worldwide each year. The researchers hope to have the vaccine available within the next 10 years.