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Novartis reports experimental drug pelacarsen failed to significantly reduce heart attacks and strokes in large clinical trial

Novartis announced that its experimental drug, pelacarsen, failed to significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other serious heart problems in a large clinical trial. The drug, developed jointly with Ionis Pharmaceuticals, was designed to lower lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), a blood particle linked to a higher risk of heart disease. While pelacarsen successfully lowered patients' Lp(a) levels by approximately 80% in some earlier testing, the large-scale trial involving over 8,000 patients showed that these lower levels did not translate into a significant reduction in major cardiovascular events compared to a placebo. Lp(a) levels are primarily determined by genetics and are largely unaffected by lifestyle changes like diet and exercise. The failure of pelacarsen marks the first major clinical setback in the race to develop a targeted treatment for Lp(a). This result forces researchers to reconsider whether lowering Lp(a) levels directly causes a reduction in heart disease or if it acts as a warning sign. Other pharmaceutical companies, including Amgen and Eli Lilly, are currently testing competing drugs to lower Lp(a). Novartis stated that full results will be presented at an upcoming medical congress.

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