Pennington Biomedical Research Center Announces New Cholesterol Reducing Study:
Individuals Over 50 Years of Age Asked to Participate - 11.15.2011

BATON ROUGE - Pennington Biomedical Research Center announced today a new clinical trial for individuals with existing cardiovascular disease. The study is being conducted to determine if an investigational medication can increase good cholesterol and lower “bad” cholesterol to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke or other heart complications.  Free cholesterol medication and a stipend are offered to individuals who are eligible for the new clinical trial.
           
REVEAL:  Randomized Evaluation of the Effects of Anacetrapib through Lipid-modification is open to individuals who are at least 50 years of age and have ever had a heart attack, stroke, peripheral artery disease, carotid veins “cleared out”, or diabetes and have ever been hospitalized with angina, bypass surgery, angioplasty or stents.  

The co-principal investigators of REVEAL, which is funded by Merck Pharmaceutical, are Pennington Biomedical’s Timothy S. Church, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., Professor, Director of the Preventive Medicine Laboratory and John S. McIlhenny Endowed Chair , and Frank Greenway, M.D., Professor and Chief of the Outpatient Clinic.

 “This drug has demonstrated powerful benefits to patients’ cholesterol profiles,” says Dr. Church. “But if these changes in cholesterol result in reductions in cardiovascular disease events is yet to be tested”.   The initial trial examining safety and effectiveness of anacetrapib was published in The New England Journal of Medicine last December and reported anacetrapib producing a 60 point increase in HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol).  Pennington Biomedical is one of several sites chosen around the world to conduct this five-year clinical trial.

The study will require participants to complete screening visits to determine eligibility.  Participants are also required to make multiple clinic visits throughout the duration of the study and will receive up to $390 for participation.  All participants get free cholesterol medication.  

To determine eligibility, call 225-763-3000, email clinicaltrials@pbrc.edu, or visit www.pbrc.edu/clinicaltrials.

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About the Pennington Biomedical Research Center
The Pennington Biomedical Research Center is at the forefront of medical discovery as it relates to understanding the causes of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and dementia. It is a campus of the Louisiana State University System and conducts basic, clinical and population research. The research enterprise at Pennington Biomedical includes approximately 80 faculty and more than 25 post-doctoral fellows who comprise a network of 50 laboratories supported by lab technicians, nurses, dieticians, and support personnel, and 19 highly specialized core service facilities.  Pennington Biomedical’s more than 500 employees perform research activities in state-of-the-art facilities on the 234-acre campus located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  For more information, see www.pbrc.edu.  

For More Information Contact:
Angela deGravelles (225) 202-5073