Novartis to Acquire Tourmaline Bio, Strengthening Cardiovascular Pipeline with Pacibekitug for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD)
Tuesday, September 09, 2025
Novartis has announced an agreement to acquire Tourmaline Bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRML), a New York-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing pacibekitug, an anti-IL-6 monoclonal antibody (mAb) for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). By targeting IL-6, a key cytokine driving systemic inflammation, pacibekitug complements Novartis’ cardiovascular strategy and addresses a significant unmet need in ASCVD care. With Phase 2 trials well advanced, Novartis will acquire a Phase 3-ready asset to strengthen its cardiovascular portfolio.
“With no widely adopted anti-inflammatory therapies available for cardiovascular risk reduction, pacibekitug represents a potential breakthrough in addressing residual inflammatory risk in ASCVD through a differentiated IL-6 mechanism,” said Shreeram Aradhye, President, Development and Chief Medical Officer, Novartis. “Inflammation is a major driver of cardiovascular disease, and Tourmaline has made remarkable progress with this asset. We look forward to advancing pacibekitug with their team as we diversify our cardiovascular care efforts.”
Pacibekitug is an investigational anti-IL-6 IgG2 human monoclonal antibody designed to reduce systemic inflammation in ASCVD. Results from the Phase 2 TRANQUILITY 90-day study, announced on 20 May 2025, showed an 85% reduction in median high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels through day 90 with a 15 mg once-monthly dose, and an 86% reduction with a 50 mg once-quarterly dose. Adverse event rates were comparable to placebo. These results highlight the potential of pacibekitug to effectively address residual inflammatory risk with the convenience of quarterly administration.
Source: globenewswire.com
