Committee to Merck: Continue Study of Cholesterol Candidate

An independent data monitoring committee recommended that Merck continue its REVEAL outcomes study evaluating its cholesterol candidate anacetrapib.

The committee reviewed safety and efficacy data from the 30,000-patient study, which is expected to conclude in early 2017.

A CETP inhibitor, the compound is designed to raise HDL cholesterol and lower LDL cholesterol.

The announcement comes one month after Eli Lilly suspended its CETP inhibitor evacetrapib after an independent data monitoring committee determined it wasn’t effective in a Phase 3 clinical trial. Merck is now the only major drugmaker developing a CETP inhibitor.