Novartis Invests Heavily Against Inflammation in Heart Disease

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Novartis has announced a groundbreaking acquisition in the pharmaceutical field, committing to pay $1.4 billion for Tourmaline Bio. Central to this operation is pacibekitug, an experimental cardiovascular drug that showed very promising results in a Phase 2 study. The Swiss pharmaceutical company will pay $48 per share, representing a significant increase over Tourmaline's previous closing price.

Pacibekitug is an antibody that targets interleukin-6 (IL-6), a proinflammatory cytokine. Inflammation is a known factor in the development of atherosclerosis and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). The drug, which originally came from Pfizer and was licensed by Tourmaline in 2022, impressed in the "Tranquility" Phase 2 study by sharply reducing levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a biomarker for cardiovascular risk, in patients with chronic kidney disease and high risk of ASCVD. Average CRP reductions of 75% to 86% were observed with pacibekitug, in contrast to 15% for placebo. The biotech described the CRP drop as "rapid, deep and durable".

Dr. Shreeram Aradhye, Chief Medical Officer for Novartis, highlighted that, given the absence of widely adopted anti-inflammatory therapies for cardiovascular risk reduction, pacibekitug represents a "potential breakthrough". Its differentiated mechanism of action by targeting IL-6 and the convenience of quarterly administration position it as a solution for "residual inflammatory risk" in ASCVD.

This acquisition strengthens Novartis' cardiovascular portfolio, which already includes medications such as Leqvio and Entresto, diversifying its efforts in cardiac care. Tourmaline CEO Sandeep Kulkarni expressed his conviction that Novartis shares their vision on the "critical, but largely unaddressed, role of inflammation" in driving cardiovascular diseases, which will accelerate the drug's development. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025.

This investment underscores Novartis' commitment to reimagining medicine and addressing critical medical needs, with the hope of offering a new and effective treatment option to improve the lives of those suffering from cardiovascular diseases.

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🔖 Sources

Novartis to buy Tourmaline Bio, gaining promising heart medicine

Novartis spends $1.4B for Tourmaline and cardiovascular med that impressed in phase 2

Novartis to acquire Tourmaline Bio, complementing cardiovascular pipeline with pacibekitug for the treatment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD)

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