(Bloomberg) -- Few new ideas in heart-drug research appeared to have as much going for them as Lp(a).

Novartis’ failure raises the stakes for Amgen and Eli Lilly in the race to turn lower Lp(a) levels into fewer heart attacks and strokes.

Pelacarsen lowered Lp(a) levels in more than 8,000 patients but did not reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, or cardiovascular death