Novartis India Limited has acquired the trademarks ‘Minipress’ and ‘Minipres’ along with related intellectual property rights from Pfizer Inc. USA and Pfizer Products Inc. USA. The transaction was approved by the Board of Directors on September 7, 2026.

The total aggregate consideration for the acquisition is ₹1,250.001 crore. The company executed an asset purchase agreement and trademark assignment deeds on September 7, 2026. The signing and closing of the transaction occurred simultaneously.

Transaction Details

The acquisition involves the assignment of trademarks registered in India. The counterparty is not related to the promoter or promoter group of Novartis India. The transaction is not classified as a related party transaction.

Product Context

According to IQVIA MAT July’26 data, Minipress XL recorded revenue of ₹228.6 crore. The product has grown at a CAGR of 6.3% over the past four years. The broader category grew at a 9% CAGR during the same period. Minipress XL contains prazosin and is indicated for treating hypertension and managing urinary symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

What the Numbers Show

The acquisition price implies a significant premium over recent run-rate sales. With a consideration of ₹1,250.001 crore against reported revenue of ₹228.6 crore, the deal values the brand at approximately 5.5 times its trailing twelve-month revenue based on the provided IQVIA data. This suggests Novartis is paying for long-term market share stability and brand equity in the hypertension segment rather than immediate cash flow generation.

Novartis announced on September 4, 2026, that its Phase III Lp(a)HORIZON trial for pelacarsen did not meet its primary endpoint. The study failed to demonstrate a reduction in cardiovascular events compared to placebo.

The trial evaluated pelacarsen, an investigational antisense oligonucleotide licensed from Ionis Pharmaceuticals, in patients with elevated lipoprotein (a) and established cardiovascular disease. Despite achieving lower Lp(a) levels, the drug did not translate this biomarker reduction into improved clinical outcomes for the overall population.

Trial Design and Results

Lp(a)HORIZON was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind global study involving 8,323 patients. The primary endpoint measured a composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke, and urgent coronary revascularization requiring hospitalization.

Participants were receiving guideline-directed treatments, including lipid-lowering and antihypertensive therapies. The study assessed outcomes in two groups: the overall population with Lp(a) levels ≥70 mg/dL and a subpopulation with levels ≥90 mg/dL.

What the Numbers Show

The data reveals a divergence between pharmacological efficacy and clinical benefit. While pelacarsen successfully inhibited Lp(a) production at its source, resulting in lower biomarker levels, this reduction did not correlate with a decrease in major adverse cardiovascular events. This suggests that simply lowering Lp(a) may not be sufficient to reduce residual cardiovascular risk in patients already on optimized care.

Shreeram Aradhye, President of Development and Chief Medical Officer at Novartis, stated that the findings provide important evidence on the relationship between Lp(a) lowering and cardiovascular outcomes. Brett P. Monia, CEO of Ionis, noted that while the study did not meet its primary endpoint, the results provide clarity that will meaningfully inform future cardiovascular care.

Future Steps

Novartis plans to present the Lp(a)HORIZON data at an upcoming medical congress. The company emphasized its continued commitment to cardiovascular innovation despite the negative results. Pelacarsen remains an investigational therapy with no approved targeted treatment currently available for elevated Lp(a). Ionis continues to drive the independent commercialization of its wholly owned medicines TRYNGOLZA, DAWNZERA and ZANVASTRO.