Earlier this month, Novartis released the top-line results of Lp(a) HORIZON, its highly anticipated Phase 3 trial of pelacarsen. Pelacarsen held promise as potentially the first approved therapeutic targeting lipoprotein(a), a genetically determined cholesterol particle strongly associated with heart attack and stroke risk.
The study did show that pelacarsen successfully worked in lowering lipoprotein(a) levels. It didn’t, however, move the needle when it came to reducing cardiovascular events.
The announcement also comes just weeks after the letdown of ZEUS, a Phase 3 trial evaluating Novo Nordisk’s ziltivekimab, a monoclonal antibody targeting IL-6 as an anti-inflammatory agent. It too was successful in impacting its biological target, without making a difference in clinical outcomes.
