Novo Nordisk halts two more late-stage heart failure trials, calling IL-6 an invalid target

Novo Nordisk said it is ending two late-stage heart-failure studies, HERMES and ATHENA, that were testing its IL-6 inhibitor ziltivekimab. The company cited a recommendation from the Data Monitoring Committee that the totality of data indicated futility.

The move comes after the ZEUS trial, also a Phase 3 study of ziltivekimab, failed to lower cardiovascular events in July. Analysts have described the result as a blow to the drug’s prospects and suggested IL-6 may not be a viable target for chronic cardiovascular disease.

With this latest termination, Novo has now seen six high-profile cardiovascular setbacks in nine weeks, adding to industry skepticism about the IL-6 pathway and prompting a reassessment of related programs.