The class
Book chapter reviews CETP research from its discovery to the disappointing clinical-trial era (Adv Exp Med Biol 2020)
Original title: Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein and Lipid Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases
This chapter surveys major advances in CETP research since the detection, isolation, and characterisation of its plasma activity across humans and other species, given CETP's role as a major modulator of HDL cholesterol levels. It covers CETP's participation in reverse cholesterol transport, conflicting results from animal and human genetic studies, possible newly proposed CETP functions, and the outcomes of the main clinical trials testing CETP inhibition. The authors note that despite major clinical-trial setbacks, the hypothesis that CETP inhibitors are anti-atherogenic in humans continues to be tested.
Original abstract
In this chapter, we present the major advances in CETP research since the detection, isolation, and characterization of its activity in the plasma of humans and several species. Since CETP is a major modulator of HDL plasma levels, the clinical importance of CETP activity was recognized very early. We describe the participation of CETP in reverse cholesterol transport, conflicting results in animal and human genetic studies, possible new functions of CETP, and the results of the main clinical trials on CETP inhibition. Despite major setbacks in clinical trials, the hypothesis that CETP inhibitors are anti-atherogenic in humans is still being tested.
Summary written by cetpinhibition.org from the published abstract; figures as published. Page updated 19 August 2026. Methods.