STOCKS | Novartis Pelacarsen Trial Misses Heart Endpoint, Clouding Lp(a) Drug Race

Novartis said its closely watched cardiovascular trial of pelacarsen lowered lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), but failed to significantly improve cardiovascular outcomes. According to Sina Finance, the setback has raised fresh questions for Amgen and Eli Lilly, which are developing rival Lp(a) therapies. Novartis disclosed after Friday's close that pelacarsen, developed with Ionis Pharmaceuticals, met its goal of reducing Lp(a) in a late-stage trial but did not deliver a meaningful benefit on cardiovascular endpoints. Novartis shares fell 3% on Monday after the announcement. The failure marks the first major clinical setback in the Lp(a)-targeted drug race. Analysts said the result weakens, but does not disprove, the case for targeting the harmful cholesterol-related particle. Citigroup analysts said the Lp(a) hypothesis has been weakened, but not falsified. They added that little public information is available beyond the missed primary endpoint, including the exact degree of Lp(a) reduction achieved by pelacarsen. Novartis said full trial results will be presented at a later medical conference. Chief Medical Officer Shreeram Aradhye said the results add important evidence and deepen scientific understanding of the link between lowering Lp(a) and cardiovascular outcomes.