Novartis' Pelacarsen Fails to Reduce Cardiovascular Events Despite Lowering Lp(a) Levels

Results from the Lp(a) HORIZON trial, presented at AHA 2026 and simultaneously published in NEJM, indicate that Novartis' pelacarsen did not significantly lower the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with pre-existing cardiovascular disease and high lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)). While the drug effectively reduced Lp(a) levels by 78.4% after 12 months, this reduction did not translate into a lower risk of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or urgent coronary revascularization over a median follow-up of approximately five years.