Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a progressive condition that causes coronary heart disease—the leading cause of death in the United States.

Atherosclerosis is the slow and progressive buildup of plaque in the artery wall. Over time, this disease will limit blood flow and can lead to coronary artery disease, stroke or peripheral arterial disease.

• Current treatment options include lifestyle changes, statins, fibrates and niacin to control the dyslipidemia associated with atherosclerosis. 

Vitae Pharmaceuticals is developing a novel approach to atherosclerosis care that compliments current treatment paradigms. Vitae’s scientists are developing small molecule modulators of the Liver X Receptor (LXR) to promote reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) and to reduce inflammation.

• This approach has the potential to stop, or even reverse the progression of atheromatous lesions, thereby reducing the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events.
• In just over 12 months, Vitae’s scientists have developed compounds that induce the expression of biomarkers associated with RCT without inducing triglyceride synthesis in both rodent and non-human primate models.