Novartis-Sponsored Drug Pelacarsen Fails to Prevent Heart Attacks and Strokes in Crucial Study
An experimental drug, pelacarsen, designed to reduce levels of lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) in the blood, unexpectedly failed to prevent heart attacks and strokes in a major study. The research, led by cardiologist Steven Nissen of the Cleveland Clinic, involved 8,350 adults with existing heart disease who were given either pelacarsen or a placebo. While the drug successfully suppressed Lp(a) levels by approximately 78%, this reduction did not translate into a decrease in cardiovascular complications over a five-year period. The findings were presented at an American Heart Association meeting in Chicago and published in the New England Journal of Medicine and NEJM Evidence. Drugmaker Novartis, which sponsored the study, had previously announced the study did not meet its goals without releasing specific details, stating only that it provided 'meaningful evidence' about the relationship between Lp(a) and heart disease.
