Testing a patient population having a cardiovascular condition for drug efficacy

A method of screening for drug efficacy in a patient having cardiovascular disease comprising:

• removing a first sample of lumenectomy material from a first location in a vascular lumen of the patient;
• testing the first sample in a first test for the presence or absence or amount of a marker, administering a drug to the patient;
• removing a second sample of lumenectomy material from a second location in a vascular lumen of the patient;
• testing the second sample in a second test for the presence or absence or amount of the marker;
• and
• evaluating the efficacy of the drug on the basis of comparing the presence or absence or amount of the marker in the first and second tests,
• wherein the lumenectomy material comprises an atherosclerotic tissue, a restenotic tissue, or other tissue excised from a vascular lumen.

A method of screening for drug efficacy in a population of patients having cardiovascular disease comprising:

• removing a first sample of lumenectomy material from a first location in a vascular lumen of at least a first patient and a second patient;
• testing the first samples in a first test for the presence or absence or amount of a marker;
• administering a drug to the first patient and a placebo to the second patient;
• removing a second sample of lumenectomy material from a second location in a vascular lumen of at least the first patient and the second patient;
• testing the second samples in a second test for the presence or absence or amount of the marker;
• and
• evaluating the efficacy of the drug on the basis of comparing the presence or absence or amount of the marker in the first and second tests for the first patient administered the drug compared to the second patient administered the placebo,
• wherein the lumenectomy material comprises an atherosclerotic tissue, a restenotic tissue, or other tissue excised from a vascular lumen.