Heart failure & cardiomyopathiesRandomised controlled trial
Ziltivekimab in heart failure with preserved and mildly reduced ejection fraction: rationale and design of the ATHENA and HERMES trials
- Design paper of two randomised controlled trials (ATHENA and HERMES)
- international
- multicentre
- double-blind
- placebo-controlled
- HERMES event driven (∼845 adjudicated primary events)
Authors' conclusion
ATHENA and HERMES will investigate the effect of ziltivekimab in HFpEF/HFmrEF and cardiovascular inflammation. ATHENA will determine the effect of ziltivekimab on health status. HERMES will determine the efficacy and safety of ziltivekimab on morbidity and mortality.
Study context
- Population
- Adults with HFpEF/HFmrEF (LVEF >40%), elevated NT-proBNP and cardiovascular inflammation (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein ≥2 mg/l)ATHENA n = 673
- Comparison
- Ziltivekimab vs Placebo
- Primary endpoint
- ATHENA: change in KCCQ-Clinical Summary Score; HERMES: time to first composite of CV death, hospitalization for heart failure (HF) or urgent HF visit
- Follow-up
- ATHENA 12 months; HERMES event driven, minimum exposure 6 months
Original publication
Ziltivekimab in heart failure with preserved and mildly reduced ejection fraction: rationale and design of the ATHENA and HERMES trials. Eur J Heart Fail. Published 10 May 2026. doi:10.1093/ejhf/xuag153
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it