VIA Pharmaceuticals, a biotechnology company focused on the treatment of cardiovascular disease, has completed the last patient visit in its carotid endarterectomy (CEA) study.

Excised carotid plaque tissues will be analyzed to determine VIA-2291's effect on inflammation, with data to be reported in the third quarter, according to the San Francisco-based company.

VIA-2291, a small molecule drug that targets inflammation in the blood vessel wall, is being developed as a once-daily, oral drug to potentially decrease the risk of major adverse cardiac events associated with inflammation, including heart attack and stroke, VIA said.

The CEA study enrolled 50 patients and is designed to provide direct evaluation of VIA-2291's effect on inflammation by analyzing plaque removed from the carotid arteries of patients treated with VIA-2291 or placebo, VIA said. Patients in the study are treated for three months with either VIA-2291 or placebo and then undergo a CEA procedure.

The company said that the trial will also measure standard serum biomarkers of inflammation to measure reduction of inflammation in treated patients.

The Phase 2 program of VIA-2291 includes three concurrent, ongoing trials testing the compound in a variety of clinical settings.