Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) said its POSEIDON study showed two in five people with ASCVD and CKD, or with heart failure, have cardiovascular inflammation, a biomarker linked to higher risk of heart attack and stroke.
The findings were presented at the European Atherosclerosis Society Congress and come from POSEIDON, a cross‑sectional real‑world study that enrolled 18,904 patients across 18 countries between 2023 and 2025.
"The POSEIDON study provides critical evidence that cardiovascular inflammation represents a significant source of persistent risk in people living with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease or heart failure," said Filip Knop, senior vice president and chief medical officer at Novo Nordisk.
POSEIDON defined cardiovascular inflammation as high‑sensitivity C‑reactive protein (hsCRP) ≥2 mg/L, the most commonly used blood test for measuring CV inflammation.
Within the study 13,475 patients had ASCVD, of whom 5,757 (42.7%) had CKD, and 11,809 patients had heart failure spanning preserved, mildly reduced and reduced ejection fraction.
The company emphasised the gap in care: elevated inflammation persisted despite guideline‑recommended control of cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar, and elevated hsCRP is noted in ESC, AHA and ACC guidance as a risk‑modifying biomarker.
POSEIDON excluded patients with recent infections or hospitalisations to focus on chronic inflammatory signals, and Novo Nordisk said the results support its research into a potential first‑in‑class therapy targeting cardiovascular inflammation.
