ELI LILLY REPORTS EARLY RESULTS OF EVISTA STUDY

Early results from a clinical study of Eli Lilly's Evista indicate that the drug does not offer cardioprotective benefits, the company announced.

The drug, which is approved for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, may, however, reduce the risk of invasive breast cancer in postmenopausal women, according to results from the Raloxifene Use for the Heart -- or RUTH -- trial.

"Because Evista did not prevent coronary events, we want to reinforce for physicians that Evista should not be prescribed for cardioprotection," said Alan Breier, Lilly's vice president and chief medical officer. "Physicians should be aware that the modest reduction of LDL, or 'bad' cholesterol, previously seen in Evista's clinical trials and currently reflected in the label, did not translate into cardioprotection in the RUTH study," he said.

Lilly plans to submit the data on Evista's potential for reducing breast-cancer risk to the FDA, he added.