Great news. I expected this news a while ago, since dosing was completed two months ago (see here). Perhaps the RVX team wanted to consult with the Renal Advisory Board while in Chicago at the American Society for Nephrology meeting before issuing the news release. RVX presents their abstract at ASN tomorrow.

The usage of "plans to initiate", "expected to commence", and "has been initiated" in these two sentences of the news release is quite confusing. It's clear that the trial isn't enrolling/dosing until 2017, but why confuse people with the "plans to initiate" vs. "has been initiated" contradiction?

"The Company now plans to initiate a Phase 2 Renal Impairment trial that is expected to commence in early 2017 based on the PK data confirmed in the Phase 1 trial. This new trial has been initiated and designed in accordance with the Company's strategy to expand into new indications such as renal (chronic kidney disease) and orphan diseases with its lead candidate, apabetalone."