Merck Sharpe and Dohme reports positive heart disease drug trial data

Merck Sharpe and Dohme has published data from a study revealing the positive performance of its new drug anacetrapib as a treatment for coronary heart disease.

The pharmaceutical company recently completed an 18-month phase III clinical trial of the cholesterylester transfer protein inhibitor, which aimed to establish its lipid-modifying efficacy, safety and tolerability.

It was found that the treatment was able to deliver significant reductions in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and an increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, while performing similarly to placebo in terms of its effects on blood pressure.

The company said these results support its enthusiasm to continue analysing anacetrapib in a large clinical outcomes trial.

Dr Michael Mendelsohn, senior vice-president and cardiovascular franchise head at Merck Research Laboratories, said: "These results are promising and serve as the basis for our decision to further develop anacetrapib."

Earlier this month, Merck Sharpe and Dohme published data from two clinical studies of boceprevir, which demonstrated the efficacy of the hepatitis C therapy.