Novartis pelacarsen trial failure casts doubt on $25 billion Lp(a) drug race
Novartis announced its pelacarsen drug failed to improve cardiovascular outcomes despite lowering cholesterol. Dr Bertha Bangala Chikadza warns that 92.6% of Malawians cannot access bank loans.
Novartis reported that its pelacarsen drug failed to significantly improve cardiovascular outcomes in a late-stage clinical trial after reducing a harmful form of cholesterol. The company announced the results following the bell on Friday. Pelacarsen, developed jointly with Ionis Pharmaceuticals, was part of a high-stakes race to treat lipoprotein(a), a condition affecting roughly one in five people globally. Citi analysts noted that while the Lp(a) hypothesis is weakened, details remain scarce regarding the drug's mechanism or trial design. Novartis stock fell 3% on Monday following the announcement.
