Novo Nordisk halted two late-stage cardiovascular trials of its IL-6 inhibitor ziltivekimab (HERMES and ATHENA) after an independent data monitoring committee determined the studies were unlikely to succeed. The decision follows an earlier setback in ZEUS, where inflammation markers fell but major adverse cardiovascular outcomes were not reduced. The double futility call raises pressure on the broader IL-6 hypothesis in cardiovascular disease and keeps investors focused on alternative anti-inflammatory or lipid-targeting strategies with clearer outcome signals. Novo said it informed trial investigators, marking another step back from a program that analysts had weighed as a potential late-stage bet. Key practical implication for biotech: the bar for inflammation-driven outcome trials appears rising as additional assets fail to translate biomarker modulation into clinical benefit. Until further efficacy signals emerge, trial design and endpoint selection will likely face closer scrutiny. This is the second IL-6-related program wound described in the dataset, intensifying caution around cardiovascular immunomodulation approaches.