Rationale for cholesteryl ester transfer protein inhibition.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose of review

Raising HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) has become an attractive therapeutic target to lower cardiovascular risk in addition to statins. Inhibition of the cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP), which mediates the transfer of cholesteryl esters from HDL to apolipoprotein B-containing particles, leads to a substantial increase in HDL-C levels. Various CETP inhibitors are currently being evaluated in phase II and phase III clinical trials. However, the beneficial effect of CETP inhibition on cardiovascular outcome remains to be established.

Recent findings

Torcetrapib, the first CETP inhibitor tested in a phase III clinical trial (ILLUMINATE), failed in 2006 because of an increase in all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events that subsequently were attributed t

SUBMITTER: Hewing B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3924318 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature