The nuclear hormone receptor farnesoid X Receptor (FXR) plays a critical role in the regulation of bile acid, triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol homeostasis. WAY-362450 (FXR-450/XL335) is a potent synthetic FXR agonist as characterized in luciferase reporter assays and in mediating FXR target gene regulation in primary human and immortalized mouse hepatocytes. In vivo, WAY-362450 dose dependently decreased serum TG levels after 7 days of oral dosing in western diet fed LDLR -/- mice and in the diabetic mouse strains, KK-Ay and db/db comparable to that achieved with the PPAR agonist, fenofibrate. WAY-362450 treatment also reduced serum cholesterol levels via reductions in LDLc, VLDLc and HDLc lipoprotein fractions that wasn't accompanied by hepatic cholesterol accumulation. This cholesterol lowering was dependent upon FXR as demonstrated in a hypothyroid-induced hypercholesterolemia setting in FXR -/- mice. In fructose fed models, WAY-362450 also decreased TG and VLDLc levels in rats and hamsters but significantly increased HDLc levels in rats while reducing HDLc levels in hamsters. The differential effect of WAY-362450 on HDLc is likely due to a murine-specific induction of endothelial lipase and scavenger receptor -BI that doesn't occur in rats. These studies demonstrate a consistent ability of WAY-362450 to lower both serum TG and cholesterol levels and suggest that synthetic FXR agonists may have clinical utility in the treatment of mixed dyslipidemia.