Novo Nordisk disclosed that ziltivekimab failed in a key Phase 3 cardiovascular outcomes study, dealing a setback to an anti-inflammatory approach aimed at linking cardiovascular inflammation to heart disease. The company described opportunities to salvage the wider program through ongoing trials in separate studies. The failure is being treated by investors as more than a single-drug disappointment, because inflammation-directed cardiovascular strategies have been under scrutiny across the sector after recent trial disappointments. Novo Nordisk’s update also fueled broader sentiment shifts in cardiovascular biotech names. Novo said the program’s Artemis and Hermes trials remain active, with management pointing to pathways to reassess the molecule’s potential if other studies demonstrate differential effects by patient population or trial design.