Study Effect of VIA-2291 on Atherosclerotic Vascular Inflammation in Patients Undergoing Elective Carotid Endarterectomy

Inclusion Criteria: * Female patients must be of non-childbearing potential * Carotid stenosis between 60% and 90% and to be scheduled for CEA surgery * One or more of the following clinical features: Prior history \>4 weeks of cerebrovascular accident (CVA) or transient ischemic attack (TIA) consistent with North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial (NASCET) criteria or prior history of amaurosis fugax occurring at any time * Diabetes haemoglobin (Hb) A1c between 7.0 and 11% or a history of two or more fasting blood glucose levels \>6.9 mmol/L * Baseline hsCRP \>2 mg/L * Echolucent plaque Exclusion Criteria: * Acute CVA or TIA within 4 weeks of enrollment or the presence of ulcerated or unstable plaque requiring urgent carotid endarterectomy * Renal insufficiency defined as creatinine \>1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) * Cirrhosis, recent hepatitis, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) \>1 x ULN (i.e., above the normal range) or positive screening test for hepatitis B (hepatitis B surface antigen) or hepatitis C (by ELISA) * Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus within 1 month prior to study screening, defined as HbA1c \>11% at screening * Congestive heart failure (CHF) defined by the New York Heart Association as functional Class III or IV * Recent acute coronary syndrome event or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery (within 4 weeks of enrollment) * Current atrial fibrillation * Planned cardiac intervention * Acetaminophen use in any form in the 7 days before enrollment