New Drug That Raises HDL Levels

An article published recently in the New England Journal of Medicine addresses the discovery of a new drug, torcetrapib, that elevates HDL levels. This drug acts by inhibiting the cholesteryl ester transfer protein, which regulates the size of cholesterol particles and aids in the development of atherosclerosis. Although other drugs, including torcetrapib, lower LDL levels, this is the first drug developed that specifically raises HDL levels and does so through a route different from other drugs.