Novo Nordisk's ziltivekimab lowered IL-6 but did not reduce cardiac events in the ZEUS trial
In the ZEUS trial, the antibody ziltivekimab lowered interleukin-6 in patients with severe illness, but heart attacks, strokes and deaths were not fewer than on placebo.
Novo Nordisk presented detailed results of ZEUS, a clinical trial of the monoclonal antibody ziltivekimab, at the American Heart Association's scientific sessions in Chicago on Saturday, according to statnews.com statnews.com
statnews.comstatnews.comOpen source ↗. The results were published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine. In patients with severe illness, the drug did not reduce heart attacks, strokes or deaths compared with placebo.
ZEUS: lower IL-6, no fewer events
Ziltivekimab reduced levels of the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6, or IL-6. Results described in brief in July showed that the drug could lower two biomarkers of inflammation. This drop did not translate into fewer heart attacks, strokes or deaths in the treatment group compared with those taking a placebo.
Out-of-control inflammation is often called the root of all evil in cardiovascular and metabolic disease. ZEUS tested whether lowering it with the antibody would limit serious heart events in patients with severe illness. The comparison was against placebo, and the outcomes counted were heart attacks, strokes and deaths.
HERMES and ATHENA halted
After the top-line results were disclosed, Novo Nordisk halted two other trials of the drug, HERMES and ATHENA. A data monitoring committee found in September that these trials were unlikely to succeed statnews.com
statnews.comstatnews.comOpen source ↗.
Cardiologists cited by STAT News stressed that the negative ZEUS result does not negate the important role of inflammation in cardiovascular disease. They are considering the search for targets at earlier stages of the inflammatory pathway.
