Roche sees decision very shortly on cholesterol drug

BASEL, Switzerland, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Swiss drug maker Roche Holding AG (ROG.VX) said it would decide "very shortly" on further steps in testing an experimental drug to boost good cholesterol or HDL.

Jacques Mizrahi, head of clinical research at the company's metabolic disease biology area, said the Basel-based firm had been encouraged by data from mid-stage clinical trials of the medicine.

The experimental drug, known as R1658 or JTT 705, is in Phase II or mid-stage clinical trials. A decision on whether or not to go ahead with Phase III testing will be made in the course of 2007, Roche said in slides accompanying Mizrahi's presentation.

"We are pretty much encouraged by the efficacy data we have seen," Mizrahi told reporters. "The safety trial is ongoing. Very shortly the organisation Roche will have to make a decision on the next step."

The medicine is being developed with Japan Tobacco (2914.T). It is one of a class of drugs called CETP inhibitors which aim to raise levels of HDL.

Mizrahi said Roche hoped it would also have an impact on plaque.

"In essence, the inhibition of the CETP pathway will take the bad cholesterol out of the plaque and bring it to the liver for being excreted and we hope that the CETP inhibitor will have an impact on the plaque population and on acute coronary syndromes," he said.

((Reporting by Tom Armitage, editing by David Holmes; Zurich newsroom, +41 44 631 7506)) Keywords: ROCHE CHOLESTEROL/

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