Novartis' experimental heart drug pelacarsen fails to cut cardiovascular events in Phase 3 trial
Novartis announced that its experimental cardiovascular medication pelacarsen did not lower the risk of heart attacks, strokes, or cardiovascular death in the pivotal Phase 3 HORIZON study.
The Swiss pharmaceutical firm reported that pelacarsen, which previously demonstrated strong reductions in Lp(a) levels, failed to achieve its primary endpoint in the HORIZON trial. Participants receiving the drug showed no statistically significant difference in cardiovascular death, heart attacks, or strokes compared with those given a placebo. The result represents a major setback for the company's strategy to target elevated Lp(a) as a heart-disease risk factor.
Why it matters
The flop of a high-profile heart drug could delay new treatments for patients with elevated Lp(a) and impact Novartis' financial outlook.
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