Pfizer had aimed to develop its own ACAT inhibitor, but the drug failed to show a benefit. (See: Pfizer's Cardiovascular Failure) But some of the problems with that drug may have come from the fact that it interacted with Lipitor, preventing cholesterol from being lowered enough.

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These and other data captured the interest of Servier, a global pharmaceutical company committed to heart failure and cardiovascular disease.

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And general atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and heart failure.

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Doctors may feel the drug provides little extra benefit compared with an existing heart failure drug, spironolactone, for a much higher cost, notes Eric Topol, chairman of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic.

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