"An experimental drug that raises HDL or good cholesterol seems to have passed an initial hurdle by proving safe in preliminary trials. Although the trial was primarily designed to look at safety researchers scheduled to present the finding Wednesday at the American Heart Associations annual meeting in Chicago also report that anacetrapib raised HDL cholesterol by  percent and cut LDL HDLs evil twin almost in half.  We saw very encouraging reductions in clinical events said Dr. Christopher Cannon lead author of the study which also appears in the Nov.  issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. A big study to confirm the results would take four to five years to complete so the drug is still years away from market said Cannon who is a cardiologist with Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston. Other experts are intrigued by the findings but note that the research is still in very early stages. There are a lot of people in the preventionlipid field that are simultaneously excited and leery said Dr. Howard Weintraub clinical director of the Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. Added Dr. John C. LaRosa president of the State University of New York SUNY Downstate Medical Center in New York City Its very preliminary but its important because the last drug out of the barrel of this type was not a success. This looks like a better drug but its not definitive by any means. Dont take this to the bank. LaRosa was referring to torcetrapib which like anacetrapib belongs to the class of drugs known as cholesterol ester transfer protein CETP inhibitors. A large trial on torcetrapib was killed after investigators found an increased risk of death and other cardiovascular outcomes.  I would be more excited about anacetrapib if I hadnt seen what happened to its cousin torcetrapib Weintraub said. Torcetrapib raised HDL astoundingly but that was entirely neutralized by the increase in cardiovascular events. In the new trial anacetrapib actually showed a tendency toward fewer cardiovascular problems and fewer angioplasty or bypass procedures although the study only lasted  months. It also didnt result in the blood pressure increases that helped doom torcetrapib. To assess the safety of the trial investigators randomly chose  adults with coronary heart disease who were taking cholesterollowering statins to receive either anacetrapib or a placebo for  months.  At the end of six months LDL cholesterol was cut  milligrams per deciliter mgdl of blood to  mgdl a reduction of about  percent. In the placebo group LDL levels only declined from  mgdl to  mgdl.  Meanwhile HDL levels increased from  mgdl of blood to  mgdl in the treatment arm versus a small jump from  mgdl to  mgdl in the placebo group.  We have  percent confidence that this drug doesnt have the harmful effect that torcetrapib had but we didnt prove a reduction in events said Brigham and Womens Cannon. That will be the subject of a larger study. Such a study is in the works he added.  Dr. Neil Coplan director of clinical cardiology at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City stressed that this was a safety trial not a trial which is saying in any way that people should take these medications nor are the drugs approved. Still he added the trial demonstrated safety and it demonstrated a tremendous effect on altering the lipid profile in a good direction. Its very promising but as the authors note themselves its a first step. Experts are still divided as to whether raising HDL levels will actually result in any meaningful improvements in clinical outcomes. Currently were not convinced that manipulation of HDL matters though certainly its promising said Weintraub who added that results should be available relatively soon from other trials exploring the issue. The fact that LDL was also reduced also makes it promising.  Weve never been able to satisfactorily demonstrate that raising HDL actually changes risk added LaRosa. The only drug currently available to raise HDL is nyacin. More information  The American Heart Association http_UCM__SubHomePage.jsp has more on understanding your cholesterol levels. SOURCES Christopher P. Cannon M.D. cardiologist Brigham and Womens Hospital Boston Howard Weintraub M.D. clinical director Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease NYU Langone Medical Center New York City John C. LaRosa M.D. president State University of New York SUNY Downstate Medical Center New York City Neil Coplan M.D. director clinical cardiology Lenox Hill Hospital New York City Nov.   New England Journal of Medicine Nov.   presentation American Heart Association annual meeting Chicago"