In 6,376 adults with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease, monthly ziltivekimab did not lower major cardiovascular events

What the research found

NEJM published a randomized trial on 7 November 2026. The question was whether lowering interleukin-6 would cut cardiovascular events in people with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease. 6,376 people were in the full analysis: 3,184 assigned to ziltivekimab 15 mg by subcutaneous injection once a month, and 3,192 assigned to placebo. Mean age was 69.4 years, and 27.5 percent were women. At 24 months, compared with placebo, the median percent change differed by -76 percentage points for free interleukin-6 and by -64 percentage points for hsCRP. Over a median of 33 months, a primary event (cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke) occurred in 561 people (17.6 percent) on ziltivekimab and 565 people (17.7 percent) on placebo. The hazard ratio was 0.99 (95 percent CI 0.88 to 1.11, P = 0.84). Serious adverse events were 54.6 percent versus 54.8 percent. Serious infections were 20.4 percent versus 17.9 percent. The trial conclusion is that lowering interleukin-6 with ziltivekimab did not result in a lower risk of cardiovascular events than placebo. Ziltivekimab is a prescribed antibody, not a product to start from a headline. DOI 10.1056/NEJMoa2612126. Not medical advice. Not a substitute for a prescribed medicine. Off-label prescription use is clinician-only. VitaLonga does not diagnose, treat, or cure disease. Never start, stop, or replace a prescription with a supplement on the basis of a headline.

Evidence level: Clinical trial. This is among the stronger kinds of evidence, but one study rarely settles a question.

Read the original at NEJM