A review of CETP inhibition in dyslipidemia finds that the benefit of raising HDL depends heavily on triglyceride-rich lipoprotein levels (Curr Atheroscler Rep 2007)

This review, published soon after the torcetrapib outcomes trial was discontinued for increased mortality, summarizes clinical data on cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibitors, which raise HDL cholesterol by blocking cholesteryl ester transfer. The authors note that the relationship between CETP and lipoprotein metabolism is complex across metabolic settings and depends largely on the concentration of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins. Two CETP inhibitors, JTT-705 (dalcetrapib) and torcetrapib, had reached advanced development, with the large endpoint trial of torcetrapib discontinued after hopeful intermediate results due to increased mortality in the torcetrapib arm. The review synthesizes the available clinical data on CETP inhibitors at this pivotal moment for the drug class.