Ongoing CETP inhibitor Phase III trials investigating the effects of anacetrapib (REVEAL) and evacetrapib (ACCELERATE) on cardiovascular outcomes (aka MACE) are likley the biggest competitors for RVX-208. CETP inhibitors have a huge effect on raising HDL. The current REVEAL (4 year trial, ~30,000 patients) and ACCELERATE (4 year trial, ~12,000 patients) trials are primarily testing whether these dramatic HDL changes actually reduce MACE.

We already have some clues about Anacetrapib. The Phase III DEFINE trial (Anacetrapib) found that at 76 weeks post-treatment as well as after an additional 2-year extension that the placebo and anacetrapib groups both had similar cardiovascular events. On top of that, after cessation of treatments anacetrapib was still detectable in the circulation for 2.5 to 4 years! REVEAL currently lists that it is collecting data through January 2017. But based on the DEFINE study, it is quite uncertail whether REVEAL will reveal any true benefit on MACE.

Switching over to Evacetrapib, Phase I and Phase II studies (I'm pretty sure not exceeding 12 weeks) showed huge effects on HDL. However, "the effects on cardiovascular outcomes requires further investigation" was the statement in the abstact of the JAMA article on this Phase II Evacetrapib study. The Phase III ACCELERATE trial was initially scheduled to have a futility analysis done Q1 2015, but the ACCELERATE study academic executive committee recommended extending the trial by 6 months, so the futility analysis is due Q3 2015 (soon!) and the last patient visit is expected July 2016.

This could be a huge turning point for RVX-208. BETonMACE might launch about the same time the Q3 2015 ACCELERATE futility analysis "crashes" in.

The longshot is Dezima's TA-8995, slated to start Phase III in H1 2016, which seems to be the best CETP inhibitor to date. However, at that point BETonMACE will be well underway.