Prescription medication · PCSK9 Inhibitor
evolocumab
Also sold as Repatha. Repatha helps lower LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) in adults and children aged 10 and older.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 155,068
- FDA reportsHeavily reported
- $271.21
- Brand price (NADAC)
evolocumab (Repatha) is a prescription PCSK9 Inhibitor. Repatha helps lower LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) in adults and children aged 10 and older.
Repatha is a medicine that can lower cholesterol. It can also lower the risk of heart problems like heart attack and stroke.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Brand Price
$271.21/unit
Generic Available
No
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Repatha helps lower LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) in adults and children aged 10 and older.
Common side effects
Common cold, Upper respiratory infection, Flu
Key warnings
Serious allergic reactions, including swelling of the face, mouth, and tongue (angioedema), have happened with Repatha.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from evolocumab's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Repatha is a PCSK9 inhibitor. It works by blocking a protein called PCSK9 in your body. Blocking PCSK9 helps your liver remove more cholesterol from your blood, which lowers your cholesterol levels.
How to Take It
Repatha is given as a shot under the skin (subcutaneous injection). Adults may get 140 mg every 2 weeks or 420 mg once a month. Children 10 years and older may get the same dose as adults. For some inherited high cholesterol, you may need 420 mg every 2 weeks. Inject into your stomach area, thigh, or upper arm, and change the injection site each time.
This is a plain-language summary of evolocumab's FDA labeling, not individualized dosing advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before changing how you take this medication.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
It is not known if Repatha will harm your unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Repatha passes into breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you are using Repatha.
This is a plain-language summary of evolocumab's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber about pregnancy or breastfeeding on this medication.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose of Repatha, inject it as soon as you remember. Then, continue with your regular schedule.
This is a plain-language summary of evolocumab's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber what to do about your specific missed dose.
Storage
Store Repatha in the refrigerator at 36°F to 46°F (2°C to 8°C) in its original carton to protect it from light. Do not freeze or shake it. Repatha can be stored at room temperature (68°F to 77°F) for up to 30 days.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 155,068 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for evolocumab, by number of reports
- Device hard to use
Device hard to use
32,421 reports
- Device failed to deliver dose
Device failed to deliver dose
24,327 reports
- Accidental exposure to medicine
Accidental exposure to medicine
16,287 reports
- Pain at injection site 10,340
Pain at injection site
10,340 reports
- Medicine stored incorrectly 6,630
Medicine stored incorrectly
6,630 reports
- Back pain 5,430
Back pain
5,430 reports
- Muscle pain 5,267
Muscle pain
5,267 reports
- Missed a dose of medicine 4,929
Missed a dose of medicine
4,929 reports
- Bruising at injection site 4,556
Bruising at injection site
4,556 reports
- Error using device 4,051
Error using device
4,051 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for evolocumab each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where evolocumab sits
evolocumab has more FDA adverse-event reports than 92% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is evolocumab; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 155,068 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2008–2025.
Total Reports
155,068
Reports Mentioning Death
1,849
1.2% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
7,680
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DEVICE DIFFICULT TO USE | 32,421 |
| 2 | DRUG DOSE OMISSION BY DEVICE | 24,327 |
| 4 | ACCIDENTAL EXPOSURE TO PRODUCT | 16,287 |
| 5 | INJECTION SITE PAIN | 10,340 |
| 6 | PRODUCT STORAGE ERROR | 6,630 |
| 7 | BACK PAIN | 5,430 |
| 8 | MYALGIA | 5,267 |
| 9 | DRUG DOSE OMISSION | 4,929 |
| 10 | INJECTION SITE BRUISING | 4,556 |
| 11 | DEVICE USE ERROR | 4,051 |
| 12 | ARTHRALGIA | 3,922 |
| 13 | FATIGUE | 3,872 |
| 14 | INJECTION SITE HAEMORRHAGE | 3,829 |
| 16 | RHINORRHOEA | 3,535 |
| 17 | PAIN IN EXTREMITY | 3,373 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
Serious allergic reactions, including swelling of the face, mouth, and tongue (angioedema), have happened with Repatha. If you have any signs of a serious allergic reaction, stop using Repatha and get medical help right away. Some Repatha pens and syringes have latex in the needle cover. Tell your doctor if you are allergic to latex.
Common Questions
What if I have an allergic reaction to Repatha?
Can I use Repatha if I'm pregnant?
How often will I need to get Repatha injections?
Where should I inject Repatha?
What should I do if I miss a dose?
How should I store Repatha?
Can Repatha cure my high cholesterol?
Will Repatha cause any side effects?
Is Repatha safe for children?
What if I am allergic to latex?
What are the common side effects of evolocumab?
What drug class is evolocumab?
Is evolocumab safe during pregnancy?
Related Medications in PCSK9 Inhibitor
Other drugs grouped near evolocumab - same-class peers and common alternatives.
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bempedoic acid
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bempedoic acid/ezetimibe
Nexlizet
Nexlizet is a combination medicine that helps lower cholesterol.
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cholestyramine
Questran
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What the FDA Data Shows for evolocumab
The FDA label for evolocumab (sold under brand names such as Repatha) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the PCSK9 Inhibitor class. Repatha helps lower LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) in adults and children aged 10 and older. Official labeling lists 5 commonly reported side effects, including Common cold, Upper respiratory infection, Flu.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 155,068 voluntary reports. Interaction data is drawn directly from FDA-approved prescribing information. NADAC pricing from CMS.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: January 22, 2026
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled and last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages