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Very soon medics will be administering anti-cholesterol vaccinations
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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Elevated cholesterol levels in the blood often lead to circulatory problems and deterioration of tissue and organ trophism.
Recently, scientists announced good news: they managed to conduct successful tests of a unique vaccine that can lower cholesterol levels.
The action of the new drug is aimed at creating a kind of immunity against atherosclerosis. Studies on rodents have already shown excellent results. The effect and harmlessness of the vaccine when used in mice have been officially confirmed. And now experts are analyzing the results of testing the drug on the first group of volunteers.
The anti-cholesterol vaccine promotes the synthesis of antibodies against the substance PCSK9. In simpler terms, the drug inhibits the properties of the enzyme that retains cholesterol in the bloodstream.
Directed immune action against the enzyme accelerates the removal of high-density lipoproteins from the circulatory system, which leads to stabilization of the blood composition.
Increased cholesterol levels in the body are mainly associated with nutritional errors or congenital disorders of fat metabolism. Today, atherosclerosis is considered the main problem that leads to the development of a huge number of diseases, and in people of any age.
Until now, the main drugs used to normalize blood cholesterol levels were statins. These are medications that must be taken every day. Statins rarely cause complications, but side effects are not excluded, including type 2 diabetes.
There is also a new generation of biological agents, the action of which is aimed at combating excess cholesterol. Such agents are monoclonal antibodies that block the enzyme PCSK9. The downside of such drugs is their high cost and temporary effect.
The new vaccine in question forces the body to produce these very antibodies on its own.
"Our anti-cholesterol drug promotes the production of monoclonal antibodies that selectively affect PCSK9 - this effect was detected throughout the experiment. We were able to observe a decrease in the content of "bad" cholesterol, as well as the elimination of symptoms of atherosclerotic attack and inflammatory reaction," said research company employee Professor Günther Schaffler.
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The professor further added that anti-cholesterol vaccination does not have any fundamental differences from other vaccinations. A single administration of the vaccine leads to a stable immune response, but not to microorganisms, but to the enzyme substance.
The first experiments on humans were conducted two years ago at the Austrian Vienna Medical University. Specialists analyzed the drug's effect on 72 volunteers suffering from high cholesterol.
The full results of the study will only be known at the end of this year, as the experiment has not yet been completed.