A Novartis drug cut inflammation. Can it improve heart outcomes? The drug, pacibekitug, targets IL-6, a common inflammatory driver By Andrew JosephAug. 29, 2026 Europe Correspondent

https://www.statnews.com/2026/08/29/novartis-pacibekitug-inflammation-il6-tourmaline-heart-disease/?utm_campaign=the_readout&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--H7l184vsuRf3xjj77PtzXOzKgOvfz7YmHF21zNAxCsoXPNhrCrlCzFB6GmBDZa0t0rREj0gFvkuqZcwBUrOixNivK7w&_hsmi=436067550&utm_content=436067550&utm_source=hs_email Novartis inflammation drug clears an early hurdle A newly acquired Novartis drug notably reduced inflammation in a midstage study — but whether that will translate into fewer heart attacks and strokes is still an open question, STAT’s Andrew Joseph writes. Pacibekitug, an antibody targeting the inflammatory protein IL-6, was the centerpiece of Novartis’ $1.4 billion acquisition of Tourmaline Bio last year. It lowered levels of hsCRP, a cardiovascular risk marker, by 76% to 89% after 180 days, compared with a 7% increase among patients on placebo, accordingly to newly released data. But the results come with a caveat: Novo Nordisk’s rival IL-6 drug recently failed a pivotal cardiovascular trial despite similarly lowering inflammation. To determine whether this particular pathway actually improves outcomes, Novartis says it is planning a Phase 3 cardiovascular outcomes program. The drugmakers hasn’t yet disclosed which patients it will target.