Novo Nordisk reported that its Phase 3 ZEUS trial of the IL-6 inhibitor ziltivekimab failed to reduce major adverse cardiovascular events versus placebo. The company said the antibody inhibited the IL-6 pathway and lowered high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, but the mechanism did not translate into the targeted clinical benefit. The study enrolled more than 6,300 patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and systemic inflammation. Novo Nordisk said it still has ongoing downstream trials, including Artemis and Hermes, which are intended to assess whether the program can be salvaged. The setback reverberated across the sector because ZEUS has been seen as a direct test of the cardiovascular inflammation hypothesis. Investors and competing developers are likely to revisit both biomarker strategy and clinical endpoint selection for similar anti-inflammatory approaches.