American College of Cardiology stories

Nov 2, 2026

Novartis heart drug failure raises questions about genetic cholesterol target

The recent failure of a Novartis experimental heart drug in a large trial has raised questions among cardiologists about the widely held idea that reducing levels of genetically set cholesterol improves cardiovascular outcomes.

Nov 2, 20262 sources

Top claims

▪American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology guidelines recommend that all adults have their lipoprotein(a) levels measured at least once in their lifetime
▪The pelacarsen Phase 3 trial tested an 80 milligram monthly dose for the first time, prompting questions from cardiologists about potential patient dropouts tied to drug tolerance
▪Full results of Novartis and Ionis Pharmaceuticals' pelacarsen Phase 3 trial, which was launched in 2019, will be presented on Saturday at the American Heart Association annual scientific meeting in Chicago

Topics

Clinical trials Eli Lilly Clinical trial design Clinical trial endpoints Cholesterol management Heart health Chicago Cardiovascular diseases Drug Policy, Pricing & Approval Biomarkers & bloodwork testing

Related entities

Pelacarsen Lipoprotein(a)