The death of Pfizer's
But that hasn't stopped Roche (OTC: RHHBY.PK) and Merck
So far, the strategy seems to be sound. Roche will present data for its CETP inhibitor, dalcetrapib, this weekend at the European Society of Cardiology meeting, but the phase 2 data we've seen so far looks pretty good. The drug raises HDL cholesterol -- that's the good kind -- without any major issues.
But we'll need to see the phase 3 data that's expected next year before we can say that torcetrapib's issues were specific to that molecule and not to the entire CETP inhibitor class. Outcome data -- declines in heart attacks, strokes, and the like -- for Merck's anacetrapib is expected in 2017.
Raising good cholesterol is a sweet spot because the drugs can be used in combination with statins like Lipitor and AstraZeneca's
That assumes, of course, that the drugs work. Investors looking for a less-risky play on heart drugs that can be used in combination with statins should look at Amarin
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