Novo Nordisk Halts Two Ziltivekimab Heart Trials

Novo Nordisk has halted the HERMES and ATHENA late-stage trials of ziltivekimab after an independent data-monitoring committee determined they were unlikely to succeed. The decision follows the drug’s failure in the ZEUS trial, where it reduced inflammation markers but did not lower major cardiovascular complications such as heart attacks or deaths. The setbacks undermine ziltivekimab’s prospects and add pressure on Novo Nordisk to strengthen its pipeline beyond diabetes and obesity treatments. A separate trial testing the drug in patients recovering from heart attacks is continuing, with results expected in 2027.