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MBX-8025, a novel PPAR-δ agonist, favorably affected multiple metabolic parameters with and without atorvastatin. A more complete understanding of MBX-8025 requires a larger future study.

ILIARY NEUROTROPHIC FACtor (CNTF), a protein with a molecular weight of 22 kD, is an endogenous neuroprotective factor that is present in Schwann cells and astrocytes but not in the peripheral circulation and is upregulated during injury to these cells. 1,2 In a study of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) evaluating possible neuroprotective properties, CNTF did not alter disease progression. However, CNTF was found to induce marked weight loss in these patients, who in general were not obese at the outset of the trial. 3 This result was not fully understood until it was discovered that CNTF and the weightregulating hormone leptin have a related intracellular signaling mechanism. 4 Recombinant human variant (rhv) CNTF is a genetically engineered vari-Author Affiliations are listed at the end of this article. Financial Disclosures: Dr Ettinger has received ongoing research grant support, owns common stock in, and acted as a consultant for Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. Dr Heyman is a former employee of Celeris and is now a paid consultant. Ms Stambler was an employee of Regeneron during the study and when data were analyzed. Drs Guler and Roberts and Ms Vicary are employees of and own stock in Regeneron.

No abstract

In the prospective, open-label, titrate-to-goal Blood Pressure Control in All Subgroups With Hypertension (BP-CRUSH) study, 999 patients with hypertension uncontrolled on monotherapy (mean age, 55.6AE11.4 years; baseline blood pressure [BP], 153.7AE9.2 ⁄ 91.9AE8.6 mm Hg) were switched to fixed-dose amlodipine ⁄ olmesartan medoxomil (AML ⁄ OM) 5 ⁄ 20 mg. Patients were uptitrated every 4 weeks to AML ⁄ OM 5 ⁄ 40 mg and 10 ⁄ 40 mg to achieve BP <120 ⁄ 70 mm Hg. Patients were subsequently uptitrated every 4 weeks to AML ⁄ OM+hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) 10 ⁄ 40+12.5 mg and 10 ⁄ 40+25 mg to achieve BP <125 ⁄ 75 mm Hg. The primary end point, the cumulative percentage of patients achieving seated systolic BP <140 mm Hg (<130 mm Hg for patients with diabetes) by week 12, was 75.8%. The mean (AEstandard error) BP changes from baseline during the titration periods ranged from )14.2AE0.4 mm Hg ⁄ )7.7AE0.3 mm Hg for AML ⁄ OM 5 ⁄ 20 mg to )25.1AE0.7 mm Hg ⁄ )13.7AE0.4 mm Hg for AML ⁄ OM+HCTZ 10 ⁄ 40+25 mg. By week 20, the cumulative BP threshold of <140 ⁄ 90 mm Hg was achieved by 90.3% of patients. An ambulatory BP monitoring substudy (n=243) showed that 24-hour efficacy was maintained. Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), mostly mild to moderate in severity, occurred in 529 patients (53.0%). Drug-related TEAEs occurred in 255 patients (25.5%). This well-tolerated, treat-to-goal algorithm enabled a large proportion of patients with uncontrolled hypertension on monotherapy to safely achieve BP control on single-pill AML ⁄ OM combination therapy or triple therapy with the addition of HCTZ. J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich).