Novartis Blockbuster Antibody Drug Fails in Late-Stage Trial (1)

Novartis AG’s drug Cosentyx failed in a late-stage study of patients suffering from inflammation in their blood vessels, a blow to the Swiss company’s efforts to find new uses for the blockbuster medicine.

The therapy, already one of Novartis’s top sellers, did not demonstrate statistically significant improvement in adult patients suffering from giant cell arteritis, an ailment that can cause loss of vision and life-threatening aneurysms, according to a statement Thursday. The drug was compared with placebo, with all trial participants also getting a steroid.

Novartis shares fell slightly in early trading. The stock is up about 2.5% in ...