Novartis' Pelacarsen Failure Clouds Multibillion-Dollar Lp(a) Cholesterol Treatment Race

Novartis' drug pelacarsen failed to reduce cardiovascular events in patients despite lowering harmful cholesterol Lp(a) levels, raising questions about the multibillion-dollar race for treatments targeting this type of cholesterol.

The late-stage clinical trial, which involved patients at high risk of heart attack and stroke, showed that pelacarsen reduced Lp(a) levels but did not significantly improve cardiovascular outcomes. This setback has sparked uncertainty among analysts and investors about the prospects of rival experimental Lp(a) drugs from Amgen and Eli Lilly.

Analysts say the failure does not necessarily disprove the case for targeting Lp(a), a type of cholesterol linked to an increased risk of heart disease, but it weakens the argument. The stock price of Novartis fell 3% on Monday after the announcement.