–Despite positive results in the REVEAL trial anacetrapib is dead. Merck announced on Wednesday that it would not seek regulatory approval for its cholesterol drug anacetrapib. The decision did not surprise most observers, despite the fact that investigators recently reported positive results for the drug in the enormous 30,000+ patient REVEAL trial. The trial was…
REVEAL Revealed: A Slightly Positive CETP Inhibitor Trial
August 29, 2017 by 3 Comments
—After 3 strikes a CETP inhibitor finally scores. BARCELONA — Finally there is a CETP inhibitor that actually confers more benefit than risk: anacetrapib. The benefit emerged from the Randomized EValuation of the Effects of Anacetrapib through Lipid-modification (HPS3/TIMI55-REVEAL) trial which was presented here at the European Society of Cardiology meeting and published simultaneously in…
Merck Reveals Positive Findings For Its CETP Inhibitor
June 27, 2017 by 2 Comments
–Surprising success after 3 previous drugs in the class failed. Merck announced on Tuesday that the REVEAL trial with anacetrapib had met its primary endpoint, significantly reducing the rate of coronary death, MI, and coronary revascularization in high risk patients already taking statins. Full results of REVEAL will be presented on August 29 at the European…
Merck Reveals That Its 30,000 Patient CETP Trial Will Continue
November 13, 2015 by 1 Comment
Despite rumors to the contrary the story of the CETP inhibitors isn’t quite over. Merck today announced that the REVEAL trial will continue. After a series of disappointing and often spectacular failures, REVEAL is the last remaining phase 3 trial of a CETP inhibitor still underway. REVEAL is a 30,000 patient trial studying Merck’s anacetrapib. In the announcement Merck said the…
The Big Gamble of CETP Inhibitors
January 25, 2013 by 2 Comments
Merck has invested a substantial amount of money on the CETP inhibitor anacetrapib. Chemist and veteran pharma blogger Derek Lowe suspects that the company might as well have plunked the money down in a casino. In a provocative new post, Lowe wonders if big pharma, in its desperation, has abandoned rational research in favor of, essentially,…
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