--- title: 'Life Sciences Daily Summary: What Happened on November 10, 2026' headline: Pelacarsen lowered Lp(a) but did not cut cardiovascular events description: Vir’s hepatitis D combination met its Phase III primary endpoint, the FDA approved Bayer’s Sunharbo, and Compass filed for review of its depression treatment. url: https://thebench.bio/news/summaries/2026-11-10 topic: all date: '2026-11-10' covers: - '2026-11-10' date_published: '2026-11-10T12:05:54Z' date_modified: '2026-11-10T12:05:54Z' tags: - Industry - Regulatory - Clinical sources: 6 publisher: TheBench.Bio --- # Life Sciences Daily Summary: What Happened on November 10, 2026 **Pelacarsen lowered Lp(a) but did not cut cardiovascular events** Vir’s hepatitis D combination met its Phase III primary endpoint, the FDA approved Bayer’s Sunharbo, and Compass filed for review of its depression treatment. ## Today in brief Novartis’ Phase III HORIZON study found that pelacarsen lowered Lp(a) by nearly 80% after 12 months, without improving cardiovascular outcomes. [1] Vir said its hepatitis D combination met the primary endpoint in a Phase III trial. The FDA approved Bayer’s Sunharbo to reduce recurrent stroke risk in certain adults. [2] [3] Compass Pathways submitted an FDA application for COMP360 in treatment-resistant depression, backed by results from three studies. [4] Boehringer Ingelheim agreed to pay Sino Biopharmaceutical $358 million upfront for options on six preclinical programs. Charles River agreed to buy Frontage’s Pennsylvania testing operations for about $470 million. [5] [6] ## Pelacarsen lowered Lp(a), but not cardiovascular risk Novartis’ Phase III HORIZON study found that pelacarsen reduced Lp(a) levels by nearly 80% after 12 months, without improving cardiovascular outcomes. [1] The lack of benefit held across several outcome measures and subgroup analyses. [1] The results distinguish a strong effect on the biomarker from a clinical benefit and cast doubt on Lp(a) as a treatment target. [1] ## Vir’s hepatitis D combination met its Phase III primary endpoint Vir Biotechnology said elebsiran and tobevibart met the primary endpoint in ECLIPSE 1, a Phase III trial in chronic hepatitis delta. [2] At week 48, 44% of participants receiving monthly injections had undetectable virus and normalized alanine aminotransferase (ALT). No one in the delayed-treatment group had this outcome at week 12. [2] A key secondary endpoint found undetectable viral levels in 79% of treated participants at week 48, compared with none in the comparator arm. [2] One treatment-related Grade 3 adverse event, a temporary drop in neutrophils, resolved within 15 days. No participants stopped or interrupted treatment. [2] In the Phase II SOLSTICE study, all 28 patients who completed 96 weeks of treatment had undetectable virus. [2] In an exploratory group of 10 who stopped treatment after 96 weeks, all maintained a viral response 12 weeks later without rebound. [2] ## FDA approves Bayer’s Sunharbo to lower recurrent stroke risk The FDA approved Bayer’s Sunharbo alongside antiplatelet therapy for adults after a recent mild-to-moderate ischemic stroke or high-risk transient ischemic attack. It is the first factor XIa inhibitor approved for this use. [3] In the Phase III OCEANIC-STROKE trial, Sunharbo reduced ischemic stroke risk by 26% compared with placebo. Both groups also received antiplatelet therapy. [3] Major bleeding rates were similar overall, but higher with Sunharbo in patients over 75 and during the first 90 days of treatment. [3] Gastrointestinal bleeding was more common with Sunharbo, and diarrhea was the most frequent adverse reaction. [3] The drug is not recommended for people with moderate or severe liver impairment, or for use with certain drugs, including carbamazepine, that may reduce its effectiveness. [3] ## Compass files for FDA review of COMP360 in treatment-resistant depression Compass Pathways submitted an FDA application for COMP360, backed by two Phase III trials and one Phase IIb study that together enrolled more than 1,000 people. [4] All three studies met their primary endpoints. [4] In COMP005, one 25 mg dose produced a 3.6-point greater reduction on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale than placebo at six weeks. [4] In COMP006, two 25 mg doses given three weeks apart produced a 3.8-point greater reduction than a 1 mg active control at six weeks. [4] Compass said improvements began the day after dosing and continued through week 26 in both trials. [4] The company is preparing for a possible U.S. launch in the first half of 2027, conditional on FDA approval and Drug Enforcement Administration rescheduling. [4] ## Boehringer agrees to pay $358 million upfront for options on six Sino programs Boehringer Ingelheim agreed to pay Sino Biopharmaceutical $358 million upfront for options on six preclinical programs, including antibody-drug conjugates and T-cell engagers. [5] The deal includes up to $7 billion in potential milestone payments. [5] ## Charles River to buy Frontage’s Pennsylvania testing operations for $470 million Charles River signed agreements to acquire Frontage’s Pennsylvania bioanalysis and drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics operations for about $470 million in cash, with up to $75 million more tied to future financial performance. [6] The two Exton sites employ nearly 340 people and generated about 40% of Frontage’s $256.7 million in 2025 revenue. [6] The transaction could close in the first half of 2027, subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals and court approval. [6] ## The day in numbers - **Nearly 80%**: Pelacarsen’s average reduction in Lp(a) after 12 months, without improvement in cardiovascular outcomes. [1] - **26%**: Reduction in ischemic stroke risk with Sunharbo versus placebo in OCEANIC-STROKE. [3] - **$7 billion**: Potential milestone payments in Boehringer Ingelheim’s options deal with Sino Biopharmaceutical. [5] - **$470 million**: Cash price for Charles River’s acquisition of Frontage’s Pennsylvania operations. [6] ## Sources 1. [Novartis’ full HORIZON data deepen doubts about Lp(a) as a target](), BioCentury, 2026-11-10 2. [Vir Biotechnology’s hepatitis D drug scores in Phase II and Phase III trials](), Clinical Trials Arena, 2026-11-10 3. [FDA Approves First Factor Xla Inhibitor to Help Prevent Stroke in Certain Adults at High Risk](), FDA Press Announcements, 2026-11-09 4. [Psychedelic pioneer Compass files for FDA approval as rivals close in](), Drug Discovery and Development, 2026-11-10 5. [Boehringer in six-program tie-up with Sino: Deals Report](), BioCentury, 2026-11-10 6. [Charles River agrees $470m deal for Frontage assets](), Pharmaceutical Technology, 2026-11-10 --- TheBench.Bio wrote this from the reporting cited above, with a language model drafting and editing. [1]: [2]: [3]: [4]: [5]: [6]: