Study of Trilipix Effects on Lipids and Arteries
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01025492 |
Recruitment Status :
Terminated
(Collaborator/corporate sponsor withdrew funding and permission to continue.)
First Posted : December 3, 2009
Results First Posted : September 1, 2016
Last Update Posted : September 1, 2016
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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Dyslipidemia | Drug: Trilipix Drug: placebo | Phase 4 |
The field of lipid treatment for atheroprevention, and of HDL-raising in particular, was shaken by the unexpected finding of a net adverse clinical effect of torcetrapib, a Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibitor with HDL-raising effects far more dramatic than that of niacin or fenofibrate.
Trilipix (ABT 335, choline fenofibrate, or fenofibric acid) is approved by the FDA (12/2008) for treatment of dyslipidemia and may act as a new fibrate for treatment of dyslipidemia and atheroprevention. It is the first fibrate with sufficient evidence for safety in combination use with a statin to receive an FDA indication for that combination use. Thus, there is minimal safety risk to prospective research subjects, who in any case will have the very dyslipidemia for which this combination is approved and recommended. With the ongoing development of this agent through a time of great scientific controversy regarding torcetrapib and HDL, it is urgent to explore the HDL-related mechanisms by which Trilipix may be atheroprotective, with special attention to changes in HDL composition and function.
Novel methods have been developed for measuring HDL composition and function and have been added to state-of-the-art technologies to assemble the uniquely comprehensive panel of HDL parameters in this study. Such methods can now be employed in exploring potentially beneficial effects of promising HDL-active agents such as Trilipix. In addition, improvements in HDL with fibrates appear to be related to other favorable lipoprotein changes, such as reduced remnant levels and increased LDL particle size, and these likely help explain arterial benefits with these agents.
The recent advent and validation of many non-invasive methods for measuring arterial function allows characterization of arterial effects of lipid agents in a time- and cost-effective way, alternative to standard event-driven trials. This study offers a uniquely comprehensive panel of these arterial parameters in order to characterize the likely atheropreventive effects of Trilipix.
This study will investigate changes in both panels of endpoints (state-of-the-art measures of HDL and related lipoproteins, and of arterial function) with Trilipix, which will more clearly and broadly define the benefits of this agent than has been done for any other lipid therapy. In addition, analyses of the intercorrelations of the changes among these several parameters should strongly suggest mechanisms of atheropreventive benefits of Trilipix.
Finally, with regard to subject selection, most patients with insulin resistance are at high risk for atherosclerosis, even those without concurrent diabetes mellitus. Importantly, favorable effects of fibrates are most pronounced in patients with insulin resistance, whether manifested traditionally by central obesity, adiposity, glucose and insulin abnormalities. Beta-cell dysfunction, generally seen in conjunction with insulin resistance, might also predict benefit with fibrate therapy. Body composition (as adiposity or central obesity) is a strong correlate of these abnormalities and will be measured during the study. Already at present, and more so in the future, the standard of care for insulin resistant patients will be statin monotherapy. In addition, however, fibrates are being increasingly advocated as adjunctive therapy for patients with residual abnormalities of triglyceride and HDL-C after statin monotherapy. Thus, the best way to assess the likely benefits of Trilipix in the usual clinical practice setting is to do so against a background of stable statin therapy.
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 24 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | Quadruple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor) |
Primary Purpose: | Prevention |
Official Title: | Mechanisms of Atheroprotection by Fenofibric Acid (ABT 335) Added to a Statin in Subjects With Insulin Resistance (Hypertriglyceridemia and Low HDL-C) |
Study Start Date : | November 2009 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | March 2011 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | March 2011 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
Active Comparator: Trilipix
Trilipix (fenofibric acid) 135 mg tablet orally, once daily for 12 weeks
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Drug: Trilipix
135 mg po daily
Other Name: fenofibric acid |
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
Matching placebo tablet orally, once daily for 12 weeks
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Drug: placebo
one tablet po daily |
- Apolipoprotein A-I Serum Concentration [ Time Frame: 12 weeks ]Comparison of apolipoprotein A-I concentrations after 12 weeks of treatment with either Trilipix or placebo

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 30 Years to 75 Years (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | Yes |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Triglyceride 150-500 mg/dL
- HDL-C < 45 mg/dL in men, < 55 in women
- LDL-C < 130 mg/dL
- stable statin dose x 8 weeks
Exclusion Criteria:
- Prior use of a fibrate > 4 weeks ever (minimum 12 months off fibrate)
- Intolerance to medications to be used in study (fenofibric acid, albuterol, nitroglycerin)
- Niacin or thiazolidinedione within the prior 12 months, or anticipated need to add either during 6-month study period
- Diabetes Mellitus if either (1) diagnosed less than 3 months ago, (2) treated with insulin, or (3) with an A1c >8%
- Anticipated need to change treatment regimen of statin (or other lipid agent) or glycemic treatment during 6-month study period
- Uncontrolled hypertension (BP > 140/90 mm Hg), or changes in BP meds within prior 4 weeks, or anticipated need to change BP meds during 6-month study period
- Documented cardiovascular disease event (heart attack, stroke, or hospitalization for unstable angina or revascularization procedure) in the past 6 months
- Use of warfarin (potential to interact adversely with fibrate therapy)
- Uncontrolled thyroid disease (TSH outside of normal range)
- Renal insufficiency (calculated Glomerular Filtration Rate <50 ml/min)
- Hepatic disease (ALT > 1.5x Upper Limit of Normal, diagnosis of hepatitis, cirrhosis)
- Active cholecystitis/cholelithiasis
- Active cancer (except basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer)
- Pregnancy, plan/desire to become pregnant, breast feeding
- Inability or unwillingness to provide informed consent

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01025492
United States, Utah | |
University of Utah | |
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, 84108 |
Principal Investigator: | Eliot Brinton, MD | University of Utah |
Responsible Party: | University of Utah |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT01025492 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
00030151 |
First Posted: | December 3, 2009 Key Record Dates |
Results First Posted: | September 1, 2016 |
Last Update Posted: | September 1, 2016 |
Last Verified: | July 2016 |
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement: | |
Plan to Share IPD: | No |
high density lipoprotein arterial compliance brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation |
Dyslipidemias Lipid Metabolism Disorders Metabolic Diseases Fenofibric acid Anticholesteremic Agents |
Hypolipidemic Agents Antimetabolites Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action Lipid Regulating Agents |