Mevalonic acid is an intermediate in the mevalonate pathway, producing terpenes and steroids. This function provides treatment options metabolic disorders, R-mevalonate accumulates in patients with the autosomal recessively inherited mevalonic acidurias, an inborn error of cholesterol and nonsterol isoprene biosynthesis.
Mevalonic acid may be used as a reference material in assays for the separation or detection of mevalonic acid. Mevalonic acid is a precursor of isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) and the mevalonate pathway which leads to isoprenoid biosynthesis. Mevalonic acid may be used as a substrate to identify and characterize mevalonate kinase(s).
