Novartis scraps osteoarthritis candidate QUC398

Swiss pharma major Novartis (NOVN: VX) has discontinued development of its experimental treatment QUC398 for knee osteoarthritis, ending hopes for a new therapy in the anti-ADAMTS-5 class.

The company confirmed it has pulled the plug on the program following a review of interim data from a Phase II study. The trial, which began in November 2022, was stopped in December after the treatment failed to show meaningful pain relief, despite a favorable safety profile.

The investigational drug, delivered via injection into the joint, was being assessed for its ability to reduce pain and preserve cartilage in patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. The primary measure was improvement in pain scores based on the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score at 12 weeks.