Novo Nordisk Shares Drop After Ziltivekimab Heart Drug Trial Fails
On July 31, 2026, Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk (NVO) announced that its experimental heart drug Ziltivekimab failed to meet the primary goal of a large late-stage trial called ZEUS. The stock dropped sharply in response—Danish shares fell about 7.5%, and U.S.-listed shares declined by nearly 8.6%. This setback raises concerns over Novo's ability to expand beyond its blockbuster weight-loss drugs, Wegovy and Ozempic. The trial involved more than 6,300 patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease who were tested for the drug’s effect on reducing major adverse heart events. While Ziltivekimab successfully reduced inflammation markers by blocking IL-6 protein, it did not significantly lower the risk of heart attacks or strokes compared to placebo (hazard ratio 0.99). Additionally, patients experienced more serious infections. The failure has weakened Novo’s cardiovascular pipeline outside weight-loss drugs and led analysts to revise expectations downward. The company expects a non-cash impairment charge in Q3 but said the result won’t affect its adjusted operating profit outlook for 2026.
Topics: clinical trials pharmaceuticals stock market reaction