Lowering cholesterol to protect heart health in Type 1 diabetes

Cholesterol reduction and cardiovascular risk in Type 1 diabetes

NIH-funded research New York University School of Medicine · NIH-11173604

People with Type 1 diabetes will take strong cholesterol‑lowering medicines for one month to find out if they reduce blood inflammation and help damaged arteries heal.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionNew York University School of Medicine NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (New York, United States)
Project IDNIH-11173604 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You would be treated at NYU Langone or Mount Sinai with powerful cholesterol-lowering drugs, including a PCSK9 inhibitor plus either a high-dose statin (atorvastatin 80 mg) or ezetimibe, for four weeks. Each person acts as their own comparison by measuring markers before and after treatment. Doctors will take blood tests to measure platelets, white blood cells, and circulating inflammatory factors to see how the body’s repair processes change. The goal is to identify biological pathways related to poor artery repair in people with Type 1 diabetes that could be targeted by future treatments.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adults with Type 1 diabetes who can take cholesterol-lowering medicines and are willing to attend study visits and blood testing at NYU Langone or Mount Sinai.

Not a fit: People without Type 1 diabetes, children, or anyone who cannot tolerate PCSK9 inhibitors, high-dose statins, or ezetimibe are unlikely to benefit from participating.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new ways to improve artery repair and lower heart attack and stroke risk in people with Type 1 diabetes.

How similar studies have performed: Lowering LDL cholesterol reduces cardiovascular events in the general population, but applying PCSK9 therapy and studying immune and repair responses specifically in Type 1 diabetes is relatively novel.

Where this research is happening

New York, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Adult-Onset Diabetes Mellitus
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.