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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Novartis' cholesterol drug pelacarsen failed to reduce heart attack and stroke risk in a large late-stage trial, wiping out hopes for a potential $3–6B blockbuster. The setback clouds the broader race to treat lipoprotein(a), a hard-to-tackle inherited cardiovascular risk factor. Rival drugs from Amgen and Eli Lilly now face heightened scrutiny as their similar trials continue.
Novartis took a significant hit last week when its cholesterol-lowering drug pelacarsen failed to reduce heart attacks and strokes in a large, late-stage clinical trial. The drug targeted lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a) — an inherited cardiovascular risk factor that affects millions and currently has no approved treatments. Analysts had projected peak annual sales of $3–6 billion if the drug had succeeded, making the failure a notable blow to Novartis' growth strategy ahead of looming patent expirations on older blockbusters like Entresto.
The ripple effects extend well beyond Novartis. Amgen and Eli Lilly are running similar late-stage trials for their own Lp(a)-targeting drugs — olpasiran and lepodisiran — and both now face a tougher bar to clear. That said, some analysts believe rivals could still succeed, as their drugs have shown stronger Lp(a)-lowering effects in earlier studies and are testing patients with especially elevated Lp(a) levels. Novartis shares fell over 3% on the news, though a recent win with its multiple sclerosis pill has helped cushion investor sentiment.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: The failure of pelacarsen is a setback not just for Novartis, but for the entire field of Lp(a)-targeted therapies — an area with enormous unmet need. With no approved treatments for elevated Lp(a), patients and clinicians are watching rival trials closely to see if this cardiovascular risk factor can finally be addressed.
