Novo Nordisk stopped two late-stage cardiovascular trials of ziltivekimab, citing a data monitoring committee finding that the studies were unlikely to succeed. The company halted the HERMES and ATHENA trials after earlier failure of the drug in the ZEUS trial, where inflammation markers shifted without improvement in major clinical outcomes. Ziltivekimab is an inflammation-targeting approach intended to lower cardiovascular risk. Novo’s decision underscores how quickly the company is exiting clinical programs tied to the strategy, even when biomarker effects appear. For developers following the inflammation hypothesis, the update raises the bar for evidence on hard endpoints and the probability of future data-driven program survival.