Evacetrapib
ACCELERATE trial design targets 12,092 high-risk patients to test the effect of evacetrapib on cardiovascular outcomes (Am Heart J 2015)
Original title: Assessment of the clinical effects of cholesteryl ester transfer protein inhibition with evacetrapib in patients at high-risk for vascular outcomes: Rationale and design of the ACCELERATE trial
This paper describes the rationale and design of ACCELERATE, a phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial testing whether adding the CETP inhibitor evacetrapib to standard medical therapy reduces cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in high-risk vascular disease. In earlier studies, evacetrapib increased HDL cholesterol by 54% to 129%, reduced LDL cholesterol by 14% to 36%, and enhanced cellular cholesterol efflux capacity. A total of 12,092 patients with recent acute coronary syndrome, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, or diabetes with coronary artery disease were randomized to evacetrapib 130 mg or placebo daily. The primary efficacy end point is time to first cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, hospitalization for unstable angina, or coronary revascularization, with treatment continuing until 1,670 patients reach the primary end point and at least 700 reach the key secondary end point.
Original abstract
Background: Potent pharmacologic inhibition of cholesteryl ester transferase protein by the investigational agent evacetrapib increases high-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 54% to 129%, reduces low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 14% to 36%, and enhances cellular cholesterol efflux capacity. The ACCELERATE trial examines whether the addition of evacetrapib to standard medical therapy reduces the risk of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality in patients with high-risk vascular disease.
Study Design: ACCELERATE is a phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Patients qualified for enrollment if they have experienced an acute coronary syndrome within the prior 30 to 365 days, cerebrovascular accident, or transient ischemic attack; if they have peripheral vascular disease; or they have diabetes with coronary artery disease. A total of 12,092 patients were randomized to evacetrapib 130 mg or placebo daily in addition to standard medical therapy. The primary efficacy end point is time to first event of CV death, myocardial infarction, stroke, hospitalization for unstable angina, or coronary revascularization. Treatment will continue until 1,670 patients reached the primary end point; at least 700 patients reach the key secondary efficacy end point of CV death, myocardial infarction, and stroke, and the last patient randomized has been followed up for at least 1.5 years.
Conclusions: ACCELERATE will establish whether the cholesteryl ester transfer protein inhibition by evacetrapib improves CV outcomes in patients with high-risk vascular disease.
Summary written by cetpinhibition.org from the published abstract; figures as published. Page updated 18 August 2026. Methods.