Health
Novartis neuromuscular drug fails in late-stage study
Novartis announced its neuromuscular candidate missed the main goal in a key trial, STAT reports.
The short version
- Novartis reported that its experimental drug del-desiran failed to meet its primary goal in the Phase 3 HARBOR trial.[STAT]
- The treatment was being evaluated for patients with the rare neuromuscular disorder myotonic dystrophy type 1.[STAT]
- The result marks the second major clinical trial setback for the pharmaceutical company within days.[STAT]
- The consecutive clinical setbacks are expected to intensify scrutiny on the company's development pipeline and acquisition strategy.[STAT]
Key facts
- Novartis announced that the experimental drug del-desiran failed in the Phase 3 HARBOR study for myotonic dystrophy type 1.[STAT]
- The drug failed to beat placebo on the primary measure of video hand opening time.[STAT]
- This setback is the second major trial failure for Novartis in a matter of days.[STAT]
What remains uncertain
- It remains uncertain how Novartis will adjust its acquisition strategy and pipeline as it faces an impending patent cliff following the two trial failures.[STAT]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.