The class
Review names CETP inhibition as one of the two most important new targets for raising HDL cholesterol (Neth Heart J 2004)
Original title: Enhancing reverse cholesterol transport/raising HDL cholesterol: new options for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease
This short overview addresses low HDL cholesterol as an important cardiovascular disease risk factor and the historical lack of an effective, safe, selective way to powerfully raise HDL cholesterol. It describes possible new therapeutic approaches to raise HDL cholesterol or improve HDL metabolism and reverse cholesterol transport, identifying inhibition of CETP and infusion of engineered HDL particles as the most important targets currently being evaluated. The review notes that clinical trials to demonstrate benefit from new HDL-raising approaches were underway at the time and might represent a new starting point for optimized cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment.
Original abstract
High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) plays a crucial role in the concept of reverse cholesterol transport and has many other beneficial properties which may interfere with atherogenesis and plaque rupture. Low HDL-c levels are currently considered to be an important risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease. However until recently no effective and safe treatment for powerfully increasing HDL-c selectively was available. This short overview describes possible new therapeutic approaches that may be able to raise HDL-c levels or improve HDL-c metabolism/reverse cholesterol transport. Today, the most important targets to be evaluated are inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) and increasing the HDL-c level by infusion of engineered HDL particles. Trials to prove clinical benefit of new HDL-c raising approaches are underway and may well be a new starting point for an optimised prevention and treatment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Summary written by cetpinhibition.org from the published abstract; figures as published. Page updated 19 August 2026. Methods.