What if the last person to die of preventable heart disease has already been born?

One of the secrets to living a longer, better life is beating in our chests. An estimated 80% of cardiovascular disease (CVD) can be prevented with lifestyle changes and available tools, yet it remains the leading cause of death around the world1,2. The opportunity is here; what’s missing is collective action. Novartis is aiming to spark a movement that makes preventive care accessible and achievable for everyone. Real change requires expanding access, meeting people where they are, and mobilizing communities, workplaces and partners to make prevention part of everyday life.

Our mission is to ensure no heart is lost too soon. We envision a world where preventable cardiovascular disease (CVD) related deaths are no longer part of our lives.

We're proud of the positive impact we've made over the past 40 years and remain dedicated to tackling the most challenging problems in CVD. Through cutting-edge science and technology, we are focusing on areas of high unmet need, including scaling our xRNA platform across multiple risk factors and pioneering breakthroughs for genetically driven CVD risk factors and common heart conditions, including atrial fibrillation. 

We also work with patients, health care professionals, and organizations around the world to improve cardiovascular care beyond medicine alone. Together, we can help people with CVD enjoy longer, healthier lives and more time with their loved ones. 

 

Areas of Focus

 

An inherited condition that independently increases cardiovascular risk and may help explain an early heart attack or stroke1-4. Approximately 1 in 5 Americans may have elevated Lp(a) which is defined as levels ≥125 nmol/L or ≥50 mg/dL5,6. Nearly 1 in 3 Americans with premature cardiovascular disease may have high Lp(a)7. Lp(a) levels are not significantly impacted by diet or lifestyle4,8.

Understanding Lp(a) levels and associated risk may help patients and healthcare professionals have better conversations about improving overall heart health9-11.

High levels of LDL-C, a modifiable risk factor for CVD, can lead to arterial plaque buildup and increased heart disease and stroke risks12. Some studies show, up to 80% of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) patients fail to reach target LDL-C levels, partly due to poor adherence to medication and lifestyle changes9,13-15.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common heart rhythm disorder affecting nearly 60 million patients across the world16. 

Despite major advances in cardiovascular and stroke prevention treatment over the past two decades, approx. 1 in 2 AF patients currently remain untreated or undertreated for thrombosis, due to the risk of bleeding17.

Systemic inflammation is an independent and significant driver of cardiovascular disease risk. There is a critical unmet need to address this risk factor, with no current widely adopted treatments to mitigate systemic inflammation for cardiovascular risk reduction in ASCVD patients18.

Dianne Auclair Rocha, SVP and TA Head, CRM

Millions of patients are affected every year by cardiovascular events, but around 80% of premature deaths are preventable. It’s important because those are not just numbers, they are our loved ones. Working in cardiovascular is deeply personal to me because it has impacted my family for generations. And we will continue to work because we believe it’s critical for millions of lives and families.

Dianne Auclair Rocha, SVP and TA Head, CVM

 

Featured Stories

Actor Portrayal

High Lipoprotein(a) Explained

What You Need to Know About This Hidden, Emerging Indicator for Heart Disease
Doctor and patient – actor portrayal

Understanding Elevated Lipoprotein(a)

The Importance of Testing At-Risk Patients
Two smiling women embrace on the steps of a museum, surrounded by event participants in matching shirts. The setting and bright blue sky evokes wellness and community.

Community Health Solutions

How We’re Meeting People Where They Are to Improve Community Health
Lpa Awareness Day Longform Video VIDEO

Maurice’s Story

While undergoing back surgery at 50 years of age in 2020, Maurice W., who works as a Medical Science Liaison (MSL) at Novartis, had a heart attack and coded for over 30 minutes.

Watch the video to learn more about Maurice's story and what the Lp(a) test revealed.

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Our Pipeline

 

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Additional Resources

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Clinical Trials

Investigator Initiated Trials

Other Therapeutic Areas

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Immunology

See how we are creating a world where health care professionals have more options and people living with immunological conditions can live their daily lives without limitations.
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Oncology

Combining the power of science and empathy to unravel the inner workings of cancer and develop innovative therapies that restore hope to those with cancer and their loved ones.
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Neuroscience

Creating a transformational impact for people living with severe neurological conditions and their caregivers by discovering, developing and delivering innovative medicines that change the course of disease progression.

References

  1. World Heart Federation. CVD Prevention | What We Do. World Heart Federation. Accessed December 5, 2025. https://world-heart-federation.org/what-we-do/prevention/ 
  2. American Heart Association. Cardiovascular disease: a costly burden for America—projections through 2035. Washington, DC: American Heart Association; 2017.
  3. Reyes-Soffer G, Ginsberg HN, et al. Lipoprotein(a): a genetically determined, causal, and prevalent risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2022;42(1):e48–e60. doi:10.1161/ATV.0000000000000147
  4. Madsen CM, Kamstrup PR, Langsted A, Varbo A, Nordestgaard BG. Lipoprotein(a)-lowering by 50 mg/dL (105 nmol/L) may be needed to reduce cardiovascular disease 20% in secondary prevention: a population-based study. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2020;40(1):255–266. doi:10.1161/ATVBAHA.119.312951
  5. Willeit P, Ridker PM, Nestel P, et al. Baseline and on-statin treatment lipoprotein(a) levels for prediction of cardiovascular events: individual patient-data meta-analysis of statin outcome trials. Lancet. 2018;392(10155):1311–1320. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31684-9
  6. Tsimikas S. A test in context: lipoprotein(a): diagnosis, prognosis, controversies, and emerging therapies. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2017;69(6):692–711. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2016.11.042
  7. Tsimikas S, Fazio S, Ferdinand K, et al. NHLBI Working Group recommendations to reduce lipoprotein(a)-mediated risk of cardiovascular disease and aortic stenosis. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2018;71(2):177-192.
  8. Koschinsky ML, Bajaj A, Boffa MB, et al. A focused update to the 2019 NLA scientific statement on use of lipoprotein(a) in clinical practice. J Clin Lipidol. 2024;18(3):e308-e319. 
  9. Byrne H, Sinha S, Pradhan H, et al. How common is elevated lipoprotein(a) in premature ASCVD patients? A real-world study using a large US electronic health record database. Poster presented at: European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) Congress; May 4–7, 2025; Glasgow, UK.
  10. Wilson DP, Jacobson TA, Jones PH, et al. Use of lipoprotein(a) in clinical practice: a biomarker whose time has come: a scientific statement from the National Lipid Association. J Clin Lipidol. 2019;13(3):374–392. doi:10.1016/j.jacl.2019.04.010
  11. Grundy SM, Stone NJ, et al. 2018 AHA/ACC/AACVPR/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/ADA/AGS/APhA/ASPC/NLA/PCNA guideline on the management of blood cholesterol: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Circulation. 2019;139(25):e1082–e1143. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000625
  12. Thanassoulis G. Screening for high lipoprotein(a). Circulation. 2019;139(12):1493–1496. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.119.038989
  13. Virani SS, Koschinsky ML, Maher L, et al. Global think tank on the clinical considerations and management of lipoprotein(a): the top questions and answers regarding what clinicians need to know. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2022;73:32–40. doi:10.1016/j.pcad.2022.01.002
  14. Heart Research Institute (HRI). Atherosclerosis: causes and risk factors. Accessed September 2023. https://hri.org.au/health/learn/cardiovascular-disease/atherosclerosis-causes-and-risk-factors
  15. Cannon CP, de Lemos JA, Rosenson RS, et al. Use of lipid-lowering therapies over 2 years in GOULD, a registry of patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in the US. JAMA Cardiol. 2021;6(9):1060–1068. doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2021.1810
  16. Fox KM, Tai MH, Kostev K, Hatz M, Qian Y, Laufs U. Treatment patterns and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goal attainment among patients receiving high- or moderate-intensity statins. Clin Res Cardiol. 2018;107(5):380–388. doi:10.1007/s00392-017-1193-z
  17. Wong ND, Young D, Zhao Y, et al. Prevalence of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association statin eligibility groups, statin use, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol control in US adults using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2012. J Clin Lipidol. 2016;10(5):1109–1118. doi:10.1016/j.jacl.2016.06.011
  18. Elliott AD, Middeldorp ME, Van Gelder IC, Albert CM, Sanders P. Epidemiology and modifiable risk factors for atrial fibrillation. Nat Rev Cardiol. 2023;20(6):404–417. doi:10.1038/s41569-022-00820-8
  19. Machado AM, Leite F, Pereira MG. Integrated Care in Atrial Fibrillation: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Improve Clinical Outcomes and Quality of Life. Healthcare (Basel). 2025;13(3):325. doi:10.3390/healthcare13030325
  20. Mensah G, Arnold N, Prabhu S, et al. Inflammation and cardiovascular disease: 2025 ACC scientific statement: a report of the American College of Cardiology. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2025;0(0). doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2025.08.047