Health · 8 September 2026
Novartis heart drug fails trial, casting doubt on rivals
Tschubby via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The experimental drug, pelacarsen, reduced harmful cholesterol but didn't significantly improve heart health in a late-stage trial. The setback affects the multi-billion dollar race for treatments that lower Lp(a), a type of cholesterol affecting one in five people. Citi analysts stated that pelacarsen's failure undermines the belief that Lp(a) reduction can decrease heart attacks and strokes, even though other medications employ alternative methods.
Reported by CNBC · How we write briefs