Morgan Stanley Highlights Amgen's Competitive Position After Novartis Heart Drug Trial Failure
Amgen’s (AMGN) cardiovascular drug candidate, olpasiran, appears to maintain a strong position despite the recent failure of rival Novartis’ pelacarsen in reducing heart attacks and strokes. The setback for Novartis' Lp(a)-lowering therapy led to an unexpected sell-off among Amgen investors rather than a rally. Morgan Stanley’s biopharma team, after meeting with Amgen management at its 2026 Global Healthcare Conference, concluded that the market reaction may have been overly pessimistic. The firm noted key differences between olpasiran and pelacarsen—particularly in trial design and patient selection—which could lead to more favorable outcomes for Amgen’s drug. Amgen's olpasiran has shown a deeper reduction of Lp(a) levels (95-99%) compared to Novartis’ 70–80% decrease. The company is also targeting higher-risk patients in its Phase 3 OCEAN(a) trial, which could result in stronger clinical outcomes and broader market potential.
Topics: Amgen Lp(a)-lowering drugs Novartis olpasiran pelacarsen