06:00 AM EDT, 06/11/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Novartis ( NVS ) said Thursday a phase I/II study of its experimental therapy, del-brax, met both primary and key secondary endpoints in patients with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy.

The drugmaker said the drug reduced levels of KHDC1L, a biomarker linked to the disease's underlying cause, and lowered creatine kinase levels, a marker of muscle damage, compared with placebo.

Del-brax, designed to target DUX4, a protein that drives the condition was acquired through Novartis' ( NVS ) purchase of Avidity Biosciences earlier this year, the company said.

Based on study, Novartis ( NVS ) said it is enrolling about 200 patients in the phase 3 study to evaluate the drug's safety and effectiveness.