Mixed results for Tricor in major diabetes study

Abbott Laboratories announced that clinical data for the cholesterol drug Tricor shows that it can be effective in reducing the impact of heart disease when used with other therapies. But the data did not show that Tricor could reduce heart attacks and deaths among the 10,000 diabetics studied by a statistically significant margin compared to a placebo. The drug did help reduce the number of procedures needed to clear clogged arteries. Analysts say that the results are distinctly mixed, raising questions about the kind of incremental advances being proffered by many of the new drugs in the pipeline. UT Southwestern's Scott Grundy argues that as fewer clear benefits are discovered, doctors will need to content themselves with smaller improvements.

- read this Forbes report for more