Last hopes for CETP inhibition fade, as Merck finally scraps anacetrapib

12 October 2017

Shares in Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK)were off 1% at $63.63 in after-hours trading yesterday, after the New Jerseyan giant revealed it would drop its experimental cholesterol drug anacetrapib.

There had been encouraging news for the cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) candidate in June, but subsequent data demonstrated only a modestly beneficial effect, casting doubt on the program’s future.

While anacetrapib was able to reduce cardiovascular events by 9%, inexpensive statin drugs are already able to lower cholesterol effectively for many patients, limiting the commercial potential for the innovative medicine.

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