A Major Anti-Inflammatory Heart Drug Trial Failed, Testing a Leading Theory About Artery Disease

Theory Briefing

• The inflammatory hypothesis argues atherosclerosis is driven by chronic inflammation, not just cholesterol buildup in artery walls.
• A large clinical trial was designed specifically to test this theory, and its failure puts the hypothesis in doubt without disproving it outright.
• The cholesterol model and the inflammation model have long competed to explain why arteries harden — this trial was meant to settle the debate.
• A failed trial doesn't always mean a wrong theory — drug design, patient selection, or dosing could explain the result independently of the underlying biology.