Amgen's experimental heart drug olpasiran now faces a higher bar after a rival trial failed to show cardiovascular benefit. Novartis's pelacarsen successfully lowered lipoprotein(a) but did not reduce major cardiovascular events in a Phase 3 trial, according to Reuters. Amgen's OCEAN(a) outcomes study has enrolled 7,297 participants and is tracking heart-related deaths, heart attacks, and urgent coronary procedures over about five years. While olpasiran uses a different design and targets a different patient population, the rival's failure removes easy assumptions about the commercial value of Lp(a) reductions. Amgen's shares stood at $437.23, 19.54% above its GF Value estimate of $365.76, leaving less room for disappointment. The company reported $10.1 billion in second-quarter revenue and $3.5 billion in free cash flow, but the market now demands that olpasiran prove it prevents cardiovascular events, not just lowers a biomarker.
Novartis AGNovartis's pelacarsen failed to reduce cardiovascular events in Phase 3, a setback for its drug.
Amgen IncRival Novartis trial failure raises bar for Amgen's olpasiran, increasing uncertainty about its commercial value.
Shanghai Henlius Biotech Inc