Health · Medical Research · 1 hr ago
Two Heart Disease Trials Find No Difference Between Treatment and Placebo
At the American Heart Association’s scientific sessions in Chicago, researchers presented results from two major trials.
The ZEUS trial found no difference between an inflammation-targeting treatment and a placebo.
The HORIZON trial also showed nearly identical results for people taking a drug aimed at lipoprotein(a) and those not taking it.
Lipoprotein(a) is a type of blood particle targeted in the trial, while ZEUS tested an approach focused on inflammation.
The findings were described as neutral results, rather than evidence that either treatment worked better than placebo.
Experts said trials with no difference can still teach valuable lessons.
The sessions highlighted how research into heart disease can produce important findings even when treatments do not show an advantage.
Two heart disease trials presented at the American Heart Association scientific sessions found nearly identical results for treatment and placebo.
The ZEUS trial, which targeted inflammation, showed no difference between the treatment and placebo arms.
The HORIZON trial, which targeted lipoprotein(a), also found nearly identical results for participants taking the drug and those not taking it.
The findings were detailed at the meeting in Chicago on Saturday morning.
Experts said trials with neutral results can still provide valuable lessons.
- Who
- Researchers behind the ZEUS and HORIZON trials presented their findings.
- What
- Both trials found no meaningful difference between treatment and placebo or non-treatment groups.
- When
- The findings were detailed Saturday morning at the American Heart Association scientific sessions. The article was published November 9, 2026.
- Where
- Chicago.
- Why
- ZEUS targeted inflammation, while HORIZON targeted lipoprotein(a).
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Top-line results from the two trials were released.
Detailed results from ZEUS and HORIZON were presented at the American Heart Association scientific sessions in Chicago.
STAT published its report on the trials.
- ZEUS
- Trial targeting inflammation; no difference between treatment and placebo arms
- HORIZON
- Trial targeting lipoprotein(a); nearly identical results for participants on and off the drug
- Meeting
- American Heart Association scientific sessions in Chicago
- Detailed findings
- Presented Saturday morning
- Report date
- November 9, 2026