Novartis (NVS.US) and Incyte (INCY.US) Announce RUXCOVID Phase 3 Trial of Ruxolitinib Fails to Meet Primary Endpoint in Public Health Emergency Hospitalized Patients

On December 14, Novartis (NVS.US) and Incyte (INCY.US) announced that the Phase III clinical trial of the JAK1/2 inhibitor ruxolitinib for the treatment of hospitalized patients in public health emergencies (RUXCOVID) failed to meet its primary endpoint.

Preliminary data from the trial showed no statistically significant reduction in the number of hospitalized patients treated with ruxolitinib plus standard of care (SoC) who experienced serious complications, including death, the need for mechanical ventilation, or intensive care. Ruxolitinib was well tolerated, and comprehensive analyses, including safety data, are ongoing.

The two companies pointed out that the results of RUXCOVID would not affect any ongoing clinical trials of ruxolitinib in non-public health emergency diseases.