ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) – An experimental drug shows promise for raising HDL, or good cholesterol, which helps remove fats from the bloodstream.

Doctors think raising good cholesterol could be the next frontier in fighting heart disease. Most medicines now focus on lowering the bad form.

Eli Lilly and Co.’s evacetrapib (ev-uh-SET-ruh-pib) showed good effects on cholesterol in a mid-stage study of 400 people testing the drug by itself or with other cholesterol-lowering drugs. Larger studies are needed to see whether this will prevent heart attacks.

The study was discussed at an American Heart Association conference.

Date: November 15, 2011
Source: Associated Press