Abbott's TriLipix improves cholesterol long term

NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - Abbott Laboratories Inc's experimental drug TriLipix was able to significantly improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels in patients for another year following earlier 3-month trials, researchers said on Tuesday.

The favorable results for TriLipix, a derivative of Abbott's blockbuster Tricor treatment for triglycerides that is awaiting U.S. marketing approval, were presented at the annual scientific meeting of the American Heart Association in New Orleans.

Patients with cholesterol problems initially participated in 12-week studies, during which they took TriLipix in combination with one of three widely used statin cholesterol fighters -- AstraZeneca's Crestor, Merck & Co's Zocor or Pfizer Inc's Lipitor -- or took TriLipix or a statin by themselves.

Patients who elected to remain in the 52-week extension study received TriLipix plus the moderate dose of the statin they had taken in the initial studies.