Effectiveness and tolerability of a new lipid altering agent, gemcabene, in patients with low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol

This study evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of gemcabene, a new lipid-altering agent, in a double-blind, randomized, dose-response study of 161 patients with high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol of < 35 mg/dl and serum triglyceride (TG) levels of either greater than or equal to 200 (n = 94) or < 200 mg/dl (n = 67). After a 6-week, placebo, dietary lead-in period, patients were administered either. 150, 300, 600, or 900 mg of gemcabene or placebo once daily for 12 weeks. In the TG greater than or equal to 200 mg/dl stratum, gemcabene significantly increased serum HDL cholesterol by 18% with corresponding significant increases of 6% in both apolipoprotein A-I and A-II levels at the 150-mg dose. HDL cholesterol levels also increased 12% at the 300-mg dose; however, this did not reach statistical significance.' Also, in the TG greater than or equal to 200 mg/dl stratum, serum TG levels were significantly reduced by 27% and 39% at the 150- and 300-mg doses of gemcabene, respectively. No significant differences were found in serum HDL cholesterol or TG levels in the TG greater than or equal to 200 mg/dl groups that received 600 or 900 mg of gemcabene, or in TG < 200 mg/dl groups administered any dose of gemcabene. However, at these higher 600-and 900-mg doses, gemcabene significantly reduced serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels by 15% to 25%, respectively, in both TG strata, with proportionate decreases in the levels of apolipoprotein B. Gemcabene was well tolerated with a frequency of adverse events similar to that of placebo. In conclusion, at the lower doses, gemcabene significantly increased HDL cholesterol and reduced TG serum levels in patients with low HDL cholesterol and TG greater than or equal to 200 mg/dl. At the higher doses; gemcabene significantly reduced LDL cholesterol levels in all patients with low HDL cholesterol. (C) 2003 by Excerpta Medica, Inc.