AtheroCare Cyclodextrin: First Results Released from 50-Person Pilot Study
A new 50-person pilot study is examining AtheroCare Cyclodextrin Standard and how coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores change after participants complete a six-month course of 180 doses.
Led by cardiologist Dr. James C. Roberts, the study compares CAC scores before and after the program. The first six participant results have now been released, providing an early look at the findings beginning to emerge from the wider study.
The early results are encouraging:
- Four participants recorded reductions in their CAC scores.
- The remaining two showed slower reported CAC progression than before the program.
- One participant whose symptoms were described in the released results reported improvement in effort-related symptoms.
This means every participant included in the first release recorded either a reduction in CAC or a slower reported rate of CAC progression.
These are the first six results from the wider 50-person study. Further participant results will be released as the study progresses.
What is a CAC score?
A coronary artery calcium score measures calcium within the coronary arteries using a CT scan.
CAC testing provides a numerical score that can be compared over time. In this study, the main measurements are the numerical change in each participant's CAC score and the percentage rate of change.
The participants undergo CAC testing before the program and repeat testing after completing 180 doses of AtheroCare Cyclodextrin Standard.
How the study works
Dr. Roberts recruited 50 of his patients to participate.
The group was intentionally selected to include people with different levels of atherosclerotic burden. Participants were clinically stable and at least three months removed from a clinical event or revascularisation procedure when entering the study.
Risk factors, current treatments and relevant laboratory data were recorded.
Each participant is provided with 180 doses of AtheroCare Cyclodextrin Standard, representing a six-month supply.
While 180 doses represents six months of daily use, some participants may take longer to complete the program because of alternate-day dosing, travel, tolerance or other interruptions.
Repeat CAC testing is performed after all 180 doses have been completed.
The study was conducted under real-world conditions, with participants continuing their usual medical care and other treatments as appropriate.
What do the first six results show?
Subject One – CAC progression slowed
Before beginning AtheroCare Cyclodextrin Standard, Subject One's CAC score increased from 1,250 to 1,451.
Dr. Roberts calculated this as a CAC progression rate of approximately 16% per year.
The participant began the six-month AtheroCare Cyclodextrin Standard program in September 2025 while continuing other parts of their cardiovascular program.
The next CAC score was 1,497.
Although CAC continued to increase, Dr. Roberts calculated the new progression rate at approximately 3% per year compared with the previous reported rate of 16% per year.
Previous reported progression: 16% per year
Reported progression after the program: 3% per year
Subject Three – CAC progression slowed
Subject Three had previously demonstrated a reported CAC progression rate of approximately 8% per year.
A six-month program of daily AtheroCare Cyclodextrin Standard was then started.
CAC continued to progress, but Dr. Roberts reported that the rate had fallen to approximately 5% per year.
Previous reported progression: 8% per year
Reported progression after the program: 5% per year
Subject Five – CAC decreased by 207 points
Subject Five entered the study with a CAC score of 638.
The participant began a six-month program of AtheroCare Cyclodextrin Standard while continuing other treatments.
Following the program, the CAC score had fallen from 638 to 431.
That represents a reduction of 207 CAC points.
Before: 638
After: 431
Change: -207 points
Subject Six – CAC decreased by 93 points
Subject Six had a CAC score of 708 before the relevant treatment period.
The participant completed the six-month AtheroCare Cyclodextrin Standard program over approximately seven months.
The next CAC score was 615.
This represents a reduction of 93 CAC points.
Before: 708
After: 615
Change: -93 points
Dr. Roberts reported this as a 13% regression over the nine-month period between the two CAC measurements.
Subject 13 – CAC decreased by 142 points
Subject 13 had undergone repeat CAC testing in 2025, with the score reaching 890.
The participant then began a six-month program of AtheroCare Cyclodextrin Standard.
Following the program, the CAC score had fallen from 890 to 748.
That represents a reduction of 142 CAC points.
Before: 890
After: 748
Change: -142 points
Dr. Roberts also reported that the participant's effort-related symptoms had reduced during this period.
Subject 11 – CAC decreased by 177 points
Subject 11 began with a CAC score of 1,744.
Six months later, after completing the AtheroCare Cyclodextrin Standard program alongside other ongoing treatments, the participant's CAC score had fallen to 1,567.
That represents a reduction of 177 CAC points.
Before: 1,744
After: 1,567
Change: -177 points
The first six results
The results released so far can be summarised as follows:
| Participant | Result |
|---|---|
| Subject One | CAC progression slowed from a reported 16% down to 3% per year |
| Subject Three | CAC progression slowed from a reported 8% down to 5% per year |
| Subject Five | CAC decreased by 207 points |
| Subject Six | CAC decreased by 93 points |
| Subject 13 | CAC decreased by 142 points |
| Subject 11 | CAC decreased by 177 points |
Of the first six participants:
4 out of 6 recorded reductions in their CAC scores.
2 out of 6 recorded slower reported CAC progression.
This means all six participants whose results have been released so far recorded either a reduction in CAC or a slower reported rate of progression.
Important context when interpreting the results
These are preliminary results from the first six participants in an ongoing 50-person pilot study.
Participants continued to receive their usual medical care throughout the study and were able to make changes to other treatments where clinically appropriate.
Rather than requiring participants to discontinue existing care, the study is examining changes in CAC during approximately six months of daily AtheroCare Cyclodextrin Standard use under real-world conditions.
This allows the research to observe CAC outcomes alongside the treatment regimens participants would ordinarily be receiving.
The purpose of the wider study is to examine the pattern across a larger group and explore why some participants may respond differently from others.
Who is conducting the study?
The study is being led by cardiologist Dr. James C. Roberts, MD, FACC, FAARFM.
Dr. Roberts is responsible for collecting the participant data and analysing the results.
AtheroCare supplied AtheroCare Cyclodextrin Standard to study participants at no charge. All AtheroCare Cyclodextrin products are formulated using pharmaceutical IV-grade cyclodextrin and an IV-grade solution.
Dr. Roberts is not being financially compensated by AtheroCare for collecting or analysing the study data.
A promising first release
It is important to remember that these are the first six participants from a planned group of 50.
The complete results will be released as soon as the study is completed.
However, the first release provides an encouraging early picture.
Four participants recorded lower CAC scores, while the remaining two showed slower reported CAC progression.
As additional participants complete their 180 doses and undergo repeat CAC testing, a much larger body of results will become available.
AtheroCare will continue to publish updates as further results from the study are released.
