Novo Nordisk halts two cardiovascular trials of ziltivekimab

Novo Nordisk has halted its HERMES and ATHENA clinical trials evaluating the experimental cardiovascular drug ziltivekimab in heart failure patients. The decision follows a recommendation from an independent data monitoring committee citing a low likelihood of success. This setback, along with a similar trial failure by Novartis, challenges the cardiovascular inflammatory-disease hypothesis and slows Novo Nordisk's strategic push to diversify beyond its core diabetes and obesity portfolio.

Ziltivekimab trial halts

• ▪Novo Nordisk plans to continue a separate clinical trial testing ziltivekimab in patients recovering from a heart attack, with results expected in the first half of 2027
• ▪Novo Nordisk halted two clinical trials, named HERMES and ATHENA, which were evaluating the experimental drug ziltivekimab in heart failure patients
• ▪Novo Nordisk informed clinical trial investigators of its decision to halt the HERMES and ATHENA trials on September 4, 2026
• ▪Novo Nordisk ended the HERMES and ATHENA trials ahead of schedule after an independent data monitoring committee found a low likelihood of clinical success

Cardiovascular inflammation hypothesis setback

• ▪The halting of the ziltivekimab trials further dents Novo Nordisk's efforts to diversify its business beyond its blockbuster obesity and diabetes drug franchise
• ▪Novo Nordisk reported in July 2026 that ziltivekimab failed to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, including death, stroke, and heart attack, in its late-stage ZEUS trial
• ▪The failure of ziltivekimab, alongside a similar late-stage trial failure of an experimental drug by Novartis, has raised questions about the cardiovascular inflammatory-disease hypothesis

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