FORBES MEDI-TECH BEGINS CHOLESTEROL DRUG TRIAL

Forbes Medi-Tech has started dosing subjects in a Phase II trial for its cholesterol-lowering drug, FM-VP4. The primary efficacy objective of this trial is to determine the effect of two doses of FM-VP4, 450 mg and 900 mg, given for 12 weeks, compared to placebo, on low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C). The goal of this trial is to demonstrate a minimum of 15 percent reduction from baseline in LDL-C at Week 12. The trial is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2006.

The multicenter trial with 150 male and female mild-to-moderate hypercholesterolemic subjects is randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled. Subjects will be eligible if they have a LDL-C of 130-210 mg/dL and a triglyceride of less than 300 mg/dL. After the run-in period, patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria will be randomized for the double-blind period. Randomization will be equal across three groups with approximately 50 subjects in each group.