Is repatha a biologic?

Is Repatha (evolocumab) a biologic drug?

Yes. Repatha (evolocumab) is a biologic medication. It is a monoclonal antibody (a type of protein-based therapy made using biologic manufacturing processes), not a small-molecule pill drug.

Why is it considered a biologic instead of a traditional chemical drug?

Repatha works by targeting a specific protein pathway involved in cholesterol metabolism—PCSK9—using an engineered antibody. Because it is made from biological material and acts like a protein, it falls under biologic drug classifications rather than standard “chemical” small-molecule drugs.

Is Repatha a “biosimilar” or “biologic”?

Repatha is the original biologic product. Biosimilars are separate products designed to be highly similar to an existing biologic; they are not the same thing as Repatha itself.

What do regulators typically call it?

In regulatory contexts, drugs like Repatha are typically described as monoclonal antibodies and categorized as biologics.

Sources:
1. https://www.drugpatentwatch.com/