Just over a year ago, the research program Stradivarius recruited some 850 participants to see whether the use of acomplia would reduce the development of atherosclerosis — one of the main early symptoms of heart disease which increases blood pressure. Although the results did not show that acomplia could be used to treat atherosclerosis directly, there were other very encouraging signs. Those using acomplia had better levels of high-density cholesterol and safer levels of triglycerides and their blood pressure fell.

This was followed by a research program called ADAGIO-LIPIDS with a separate group of 800 participants. At the end of one year, the group using acomplia showed reduced blood pressure, the level of HDL-cholesterol showed a satisfactory increase and triglycerides fell to safer levels.

In both clinical trials, therefore, acomplia produced lower blood pressure, reduced body weight and improved the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.