BioCentury
ARTICLE | Product Development

Under pressure

November 13, 2006 8:00 AM UTC

Pfizer Inc. thinks it's too early to speculate on reasons why its torcetrapib HDL-raising compound showed higher than expected blood pressure increases in Phase III studies. While it's unknown whether the hypertension is linked to the molecule, the target, the trial design or something else entirely, other companies developing drugs against the same target haven't seen similar increases.

In late October, PFE reported data from a Phase III trial of torcetrapib plus Lipitor atorvastatin in patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. The study showed a 57% increase in HDL cholesterol (p<0.0001) and a 27% decrease in LDL cholesterol (p<0.0001) vs. atorvastatin alone (see BioCentury, Nov. 6). ...