Mevalonic acid (MVA) is an important organic compound in biochemistry. The name is a contraction of dihydroxymethylvalerolactone. The carboxylate anion of mevalonic acid, which is the predominant form in biological environments is called mevalonate, and is of major pharmaceutical importance. Drugs, such as the statins which is biologically active to lower levels of cholesterol, stop the production of mevalonate via inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase.