An independent data-monitoring panel recommended that Merck & Co. ($MRK) continue studying its cholesterol-fighting CETP inhibitor, anacetrapib. The drugmaker had added a futility analysis to the study, dubbed REVEAL, after rival drugmaker Eli Lilly & Co. ($LLY) canned development of its CETP drug evacetrapib. Pfizer ($PFE) and Roche ($RHHBY) had previously given up on their own CETP meds. Report