Novartis Halts ALS Drug VHB937 After Phase 2 Trial Misses All Endpoints
Novartis has discontinued development of VHB937, an experimental drug for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), after its Phase 2 trial failed to meet primary and secondary endpoints. The trial, known as Astrals, involved 251 patients with early-stage ALS and compared the TREM2 stabilizer against a placebo. This setback extends a recent string of R&D failures for the Swiss pharmaceutical giant, including missed targets in cardiovascular and muscle-wasting disease trials. While the ALS program is scrapped, Novartis is continuing Phase 2 testing of the same compound for Alzheimer’s disease, where the target mechanism is considered more robust. The failure adds to a broader trend of unsuccessful clinical trials for TREM2-based therapies across the industry.