Association between novel agents targeting proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 and cancer incidence

Novel agents targeting proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) effectively reduce the concentration of low-density lipoproteins. These agents mediating PCSK9 include small interfering RNA (siRNA) inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies. Their effects on the cumulative incidence of cancer remain to be clarified. Relevant data were obtained from the TriNetX database. Eligible individuals with the use of PCSK9-targeting agents were divided into an siRNA group (siRNA inhibitor, inclisiran) and a comparison group (monoclonal antibodies, alirocumab/evolocumab). We further performed 1:1 propensity score matching. The cumulative incidence of cancer was compared between these groups. This study included 37,226 individuals. Of them, 664 (1.8%) were included in the siRNA group. After propensity score matching, the 520-day cumulative incidence of cancer was 1.39% in the siRNA group and 6.58% in the comparison group (P =.125; adjusted hazard ratio: 0.463; 95% CI: 0.169 to 1.269). Despite using different models for matching as sensitivity tests, the cumulative incidence of cancer was consistently lower in the siRNA group than in the comparison group. In this retrospective cohort study, inclisiran might be associated with lower cumulative incidence of cancer, compared with alirocumab/evolocumab. Further large-scale observational study or clinical trial is warranted to confirm this finding.