tafolecimab

NCIt DEF: A human immunoglobulin G2 (IgG2) monoclonal antibody directed against human proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), with potential anti-hypercholesterolemic, anti-hyperlipidemic and antineoplastic activities. Upon administration, tafolecimab targets, binds to and inhibits the activity of PCSK9. This prevents the binding of PCSK9 to low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) on hepatocytes and prevents its degradation. This increases LDLR on hepatocytes and increases the liver's ability to remove LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) from the blood, thereby lowering LDL-C levels. In addition, as PCSK9 may regulate proliferation and apoptosis in certain human cancer cells, tafolecimab may be able to inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in susceptible cancer cells, possibly due to its cholesterol-lowering effects. Tafolecimab may also enhance the anti-tumor immune response. PCSK9 binds to LDLR on the surface of hepatocytes to promote LDLR degradation within the liver.