Among 554,316 Ontario adults with newly diagnosed solid tumours, 0.3% had a non-fatal and 0.03% a fatal opioid overdose; recent high-dose prescriptions were linked to about 3.5 times the overdose rate. The observational study shows associations, not causes.
In the phase 3 Krascendo 1 trial, now highlighted by Nature Medicine, divarasib extended median overall survival to 17.7 months versus 12.0 months with sotorasib or adagrasib in previously treated KRAS G12C-mutated lung cancer. The trial was open-label and funded by Roche.
A systematic review presented at ACR Convergence 2026 by Hospital for Special Surgery pooled 31 studies of CAR T-cell therapy in 243 people with refractory lupus: average disease activity fell from 13.0 to 2.2 at six months, mostly with mild side effects. The underlying studies are small.
In 6,942 children from the TEDDY cohort, those whose mothers had type 1 diabetes developed the disease at about half the rate of those whose fathers had it, despite similar genetic risk scores. The protective effect showed up in early childhood and faded after age 6.
In serum samples from 506 people, an RNA molecule carried in extracellular vesicles distinguished the precursor lesion STIC and high-grade serous ovarian cancer from controls with an AUC of about 0.99, versus 0.59 for CA125 in STIC. The authors stress that prospective validation is still needed.
A Canadian clinical trial of 508 patients found that adding ablation of low-voltage heart tissue to standard pulmonary vein isolation did not significantly improve outcomes overall; in patients who actually had low-voltage areas, results suggested a lower risk of AF returning.
An observational study in JAMA Network Open followed 830,393 US adults newly treated for overactive bladder from 2012 to 2025 and found similar dementia rates with anticholinergic drugs and the newer beta-3 agonists. The authors say the results need replication before guidelines change.
A Cambridge-led study in Nature Cardiovascular Research reports that a short-lived mRNA therapy activating the proteins Myc and Cyclin T1 made heart muscle cells divide in mice after a heart attack, raising the amount of blood pumped per beat by about 10% versus mock treatment. It is an early animal study.
Bar-Ilan University researchers report in MedComm that GABA plus sitagliptin and omeprazole restored normal blood sugar in roughly 30% of mice modelling latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA), and two blood RNA markers measured before treatment distinguished responders. It is an early animal study.
In a 320-patient randomized trial in China presented 8 November 2026 at AHA Scientific Sessions, adults with hypertension who started sacubitril/valsartan after atrial fibrillation ablation had documented arrhythmia recurrence in 18% at 12 months versus 28.3% with valsartan, despite similar blood-pressure drops; the findings are a preliminary, non-peer-reviewed abstract.
A five-year randomized trial across 60 North Carolina counties, presented 8 November 2026 at AHA Scientific Sessions and published in NEJM, found a community CPR and EMS program did not improve survival with good brain function after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (about 9% versus 9.4%), though bystander CPR rose in the final year.
In the OptimPacing trial of 685 adults with atrioventricular block, presented 8 November 2026 at AHA Scientific Sessions and published in NEJM, left bundle branch pacing cut the combined risk of death, heart-failure hospitalization or pacing-induced cardiomyopathy by 59% versus right ventricular pacing (8.5% vs 19.2% at four years); the trial ended early for superiority.
The phase 3 ZEUS trial in 6,376 adults with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease and high hs-CRP, presented 7 November 2026 at the AHA Scientific Sessions and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found ziltivekimab cut hs-CRP by 64% and IL-6 by 76% versus placebo but did not reduce heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death (561 versus 565 events).
The STREAM randomized trial, presented 7 November 2026 at the AHA Scientific Sessions and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that discontinuing statins in 1,880 adults aged 70 and older without cardiovascular disease was noninferior at two years for heart attack, stroke or death, though events were higher over longer follow-up (12.7% versus 9.2%).
A JAMA follow-up of the ISCHEMIA trial, presented 7 November 2026 at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, found that after nearly a decade patients with stable coronary disease had essentially the same chance of death with an early invasive strategy (about 26%) as with an initial conservative strategy (about 27%).
A prospective multicenter Nature study of 196 adults without known CVD or antihypertensive drugs used consumer smartwatch PPG plus accelerometry, with no cuff calibration, against 24-hour ambulatory BP: over 7 days sensitivity was 65.8% and specificity 90.0% — framed as opportunistic screening, not a diagnostic replacement.
A text summary of Radio Svoboda's 5 November 2026 programme “Face to the Event”: higher workloads at flat pay, a projected deficit in the compulsory health insurance fund, cuts to the federal cancer project, and a shortfall of medical residents after the law on mandatory work placements.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of more than 22,000 patients with ER-positive breast cancer, published 6 November 2026 in JAMA Network Open, found no statistically significant survival difference between primary endocrine therapy and upfront surgery; durable control under pET clustered in favorable biology.
A peer-reviewed Nature Medicine study (6 Nov 2026) trained a gait foundation model on 3D skeletal motion from a single depth camera across five motor tasks in 3,328 deeply phenotyped adults, predicting age, BMI, visceral fat and 1,887 of 3,210 tested phenotypes better than engineered gait features alone.
The Prepare for Kidney Care randomised trial in The Lancet (4 November) followed 445 older or frail UK patients with kidney failure. Over about 4.5 years, preparing for dialysis and structured conservative management without dialysis showed similar combined length and quality of life; only 28% of the dialysis-preparation arm started dialysis.
A JAMA retrospective study of 5.2 million US births found intramuscular vitamin K nonreceipt rose from 3.1% in 2017 to 6.8% in 2025, with a 47% higher adjusted risk of bleeding in the first six months and more than double the risk of intracranial bleeding.
In an open-access Nature Medicine analysis of 6,803 Japanese adults, researchers used mediation models to link diet, activity and other habits to health and 15 chronic diseases through two opposing gut-microbiome axes, and tested prediction scores in 13 external cohorts.
A UCL and Imperial College London analysis of about 6,000 British civil servants followed for up to 20 years found distinct blood-metabolite patterns for ultra-processed and minimally processed diets. The observational study cannot prove cause and effect.
In a 120-person randomised trial published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, adults with alcohol use disorder who took a standardised kudzu extract before expected heavy drinking had fewer binge-drinking days than the placebo group, with benefits still seen three months later.
A very early clinical trial reported in NEJM delivered a gene to the seizure source in the brain, making neurons responsive to a drug. Monthly seizures fell by more than 90% in all three participants, without serious side effects, Nature reports — but the study is tiny.
In 3,281 married couples followed for a median of 19.5 years, a spouse's traumatic brain injury was associated with higher mortality in the other partner; links with dementia and cardiovascular events were not statistically significant.
In a cluster randomised trial at 12 subsidised housing sites in Minneapolis–St Paul, six months of a full-service mobile market did not significantly change diet-quality scores; participants ate about 397 mg less sodium a day than controls.
A US health-records study of people with type 2 diabetes found lower 3- and 5-year obesity-related cancer risk after starting a GLP-1 drug only compared with insulin or sulfonylureas, mainly in milder diabetes. The authors say it does not support choosing diabetes drugs to prevent cancer.
In a randomised trial of 1,857 patients with atrial fibrillation, simpler single-drug regimens met non-inferiority versus dual antiplatelet therapy at six months and were linked to less bleeding.
Records of 13,307 young patients at six pediatric health systems show e-bike and e-scooter injuries rising far faster than those from ordinary bikes and scooters, with brain injuries about twice as common.
A multicentre US cohort of 434 matched children aged 18–30 months found equivalent developmental screening scores and no differences in autism or behaviour measures.
An NEJM Evidence analysis of National Cancer Institute data found overall incidence up to age 70 rose from 36.7 to 38.3 per 100,000 between 2022 and 2023 — the first overall increase in more than 20 years.
A JAMA Network Open analysis of 1.5 million Medicare heart-failure admissions (2007–2022) found higher odds of hospitalisation on days cooler than 75°F, but no similar rise on hotter days.
A Nature study identifies claudin-4 as the docking point for the Bacteroides fragilis toxin (BFT); a decoy protein built from it protected mice from toxin damage, but it has not been tested in humans.
A network meta-analysis of 5 observational studies with 7,937 women found risk-reducing mastectomy associated with lower all-cause mortality than MRI or mammography screening, beyond the effect of ovary removal.
Among more than 950,000 adults hospitalised in Ontario in 2008–2022, 30-day mortality was 12.3% with female vs 13.7% with male physicians; the observational study cannot prove cause and effect.
In a JAMA Network Open survey of 236 caregivers, 26.7% reported misrepresenting symptoms to a clinician to obtain antibiotics, and most of them said it worked at least once.
Across about 88,800 people, intensive treatment meant roughly 4 fewer cardiovascular events per 1,000 person-years in chronic kidney disease and about 3 fewer without it; kidney failure did not rise, but milder kidney-function declines did.
In a JAMA Psychiatry research letter, 53% of people who drank reported no change and only 3% said they drank more; people with potentially unhealthy drinking were more likely to report cutting down.
A meta-analysis in JAMA Neurology estimates 11.4 million new dementia cases worldwide in 2023; women and people in low- and middle-income countries had higher yearly rates.
In OBERON and TITANIA (2,306 patients), monthly tozorakimab added to inhaled therapy reduced moderate or severe exacerbations by 29% and 34% in former smokers; an FDA decision is expected in the first quarter of 2027.
In more than 1,500 patients, SOMAScan, MR elastography and FibroScan-based scores best detected advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis; a cheap gamma-GT blood test beat the widely used FIB-4 as a first step.
In the UK ASPIRED trial of 2,234 patients, immediate 14-day heart monitoring detected clinically significant arrhythmias in 22.0% vs 9.0% with standard care; patient-reported fainting episodes at one year did not differ significantly.
A descriptive study of Ontario's 2024–25 outbreak counts 166 hospital admissions, 10 congenital infections and one infant death, and traces the strain to the US, Mexico and the Netherlands.
In the randomised LEAP-Block trial of 499 patients with AV block and normal heart pumping, the composite of death, heart-failure events or upgrade to biventricular pacing at 24 months was 2.4% with LBBAP vs 12.5% with RV pacing.
In the Inject trial of 192 adults, high-volume injections with or without a steroid did not improve pain and disability versus a sham at 12 months; the steroid version gave a small early benefit but worse results at 26 weeks.
A Norwegian phase 3, double-blind trial in 450 adults with moderate-to-severe IBS found donor faecal microbiota transplantation via single rectal enema no better than participants' own stool: 40% vs 38% hit the primary ≥75-point IBS-SSS improvement at 90 days. Authors say FMT should not be used for IBS; commentators urge more targeted microbiome approaches.
In the phase 3 TroFuse-005 trial of 776 women with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer after platinum and PD-1/L1 therapy, sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT) extended median overall survival to 19.0 months versus 12.1 on chemotherapy. The US FDA accepted a BLA for priority review with a PDUFA date of 15 June 2027.
San Diego biotech Artiva will discontinue AlloNK (AB-101), its allogeneic NK-cell candidate for autoimmune disease, after two Grade 5 events in a Phase 2a basket trial and insufficient response durability. Investigators linked one death to fludarabine neurotoxicity and judged the second unrelated; the FDA asked for a pause. Cash was about $319 million at end-September.
A JAMA analysis found that in the first six months of the WISeR pilot, traditional Medicare use of epidural steroid injections fell 15% and other targeted services 19.5% in participating states. The study cannot say whether the care that disappeared was unnecessary.
In a randomised, double-blind JAMA trial of 193 adults, a single 12 mg dose of mebufotenin benzoate nasal spray lowered depression scores by 5.3 points more than a tiny comparator dose after four weeks. It is a mid-stage trial, not an approval.
The US FDA expanded approval of Pfizer's PARP inhibitor Talzenna with Xtandi to men whose metastatic prostate cancer is still hormone-sensitive and carries DNA-repair (HRR) gene mutations. In the TALAPRO-3 trial the combination cut the risk of radiographic progression or death by 52%; anaemia was common.
In the NEJM-published TRIUMPH-OSA trials, up to about half of participants on higher doses reached normal breathing or mild apnea without excessive sleepiness after 80 weeks, versus about 13% on placebo. The drug is still experimental.
The longest follow-up of the phase 3 RELATIVITY-047 trial, published in Nature Medicine, shows the two-drug immunotherapy still beats nivolumab alone on progression-free, overall and melanoma-specific survival after at least 57 months.
A case-control study presented at IDWeek found the long-acting antibody cut RSV hospitalisations among eligible children aged 8–23 months, with higher protection when given within 60 days of illness. The results are not yet peer-reviewed.
In an early-stage trial published in Nature Medicine, invikafusp alfa stopped disease progression in 16 of 27 patients treated at the optimal dose and shrank tumours in four. The study was small and had no control group.
The FDA approved a subcutaneous induction regimen of AbbVie's risankizumab (Skyrizi) for adults with moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease, based on the 274-patient AFFIRM trial. The data so far come from the company and cover 12 weeks of placebo-controlled treatment.
Using a 1970s British reform that raised the school-leaving age from 15 to 16 as a natural experiment, researchers found lower dementia incidence among those affected, especially people at high genetic risk. Participants were followed only up to age 65.
In the phase 3 RISE UP trial of 207 patients, 41% on mitapivat had a meaningful haemoglobin rise versus 3% on placebo. The second main goal — fewer sickle cell pain crises — was not met.
Novo Nordisk's Awiqli (insulin icodec) can now be used from age 10 in type 2 diabetes, replacing seven basal insulin injections a week with one. The paediatric approval rests mainly on adult trials plus a single-dose pharmacokinetic study in children.
Imperial College London researchers estimate 50,391 heat-related deaths in 854 European cities in June–August 2026, of which 32,619 are attributed to human-caused warming. These are modelled estimates, and the authors say the real toll is likely higher.
In the Dutch MIRA2 trial of 715 women with heavy menstrual bleeding, about 4% of those who received a levonorgestrel IUD during ablation needed a hysterectomy within two years, versus 10% with ablation alone.
AstraZeneca's C5 complement inhibitor cut urine protein by 43.4% versus placebo at 34 weeks in an interim analysis of the phase 3 I CAN trial. Whether it slows kidney function decline has not yet been shown.
The tumour-agnostic indication now requires at least 13 mutations per megabase instead of 10, because benefit was not confirmed for tumours between 10 and 13. In 220 patients the response rate was 36%.
BioCryst says the FDA has approved a 150 mg oral-pellet formulation of once-daily berotralstat (Orladeyo) for preventing attacks of hereditary angioedema in people aged 12 and older, as an alternative for those who find capsules hard to swallow.
The FDA approved GSK's dostarlimab (Jemperli) for adults with stage II/III rectal cancer that is MSI-H or dMMR. In the single-arm AZUR-1 trial, 68% of evaluable patients had a sustained clinical complete response at 12 months, but the approval is accelerated and longer-term data are still maturing.
Following more than one million Danish children for up to 20 years, researchers found cancer rates were 26% higher after assisted reproduction overall, driven by frozen embryo transfer and ICSI; conventional IVF showed no increase. The study is observational and cannot prove cause.
Researchers at Boston University and the University of Connecticut propose GRAD, which runs extra blood markers, age and genetic risk only when a p-Tau217 test is inconclusive. In 630 'gray zone' cases it improved amyloid detection and cut the share needing PET scans, but it is not yet ready for routine care.
The FDA has approved GSK's Hibsago, given with existing antivirals to certain adults with chronic hepatitis B and no cirrhosis. In two trials, 19% of treated patients still had the virus under control 24 weeks after stopping all hepatitis B treatment; the drug carries a boxed warning.
A publicly funded, double-blind randomised trial of about 5,300 patients at 15 Canadian centres, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found aspirin alone as safe and effective as five days of rivaroxaban followed by aspirin after total hip or knee replacement.
A study of more than 3 million women using hormonal contraceptives in four European countries found that clot risk began rising before NSAIDs were started and showed a similar pattern with paracetamol, suggesting the condition being treated explains at least part of the risk.
A Cleveland Clinic-led genetic study of 82,623 people of African ancestry estimates that a CD36 variant carried by about 17% of this population accounts for roughly 9% of dilated cardiomyopathy cases — more than the TTN gene, yet it is missing from standard test panels.
A UCL- and Liverpool-led review of 19 observational studies covering close to 16 million people found a 70% higher all-cause death rate among people diagnosed with ADHD, driven largely by suicide and injuries, with some evidence of lower risk among those taking medication.
On 16 October 2026 the US FDA expanded the approval of Viatris' Ryzumvi (phentolamine ophthalmic solution 0.75%) to treat presbyopia in adults; the drop was already approved to reverse eye dilation after eye exams.
In a 26-week randomised trial of 283 adults treated in 22 US primary-care practices, people with type 2 diabetes who do not use insulin spent about five more hours a day in their target glucose range with continuous glucose monitors than with usual care.
The US CDC reported 4,410 confirmed measles cases in 2026 as of 15 October, 330 more than a week earlier, with 451 hospitalisations; Pennsylvania alone has reported 1,222 cases.
Trained on about 400,000 CT scans from some 50,000 patients, the Percival model picked up signs of conditions such as atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease, according to a study in npj Digital Medicine; it is still in preclinical testing.
University of Michigan researchers report in Cancer Discovery that nanopore long-read sequencing explained 32 of 46 unexplained tumours, and in a NEJM report that a fragment of a gene-therapy virus inserted into the GLI1 gene in a 3-year-old who developed a small spinal tumour.
On 16 October 2026 the US FDA approved Alcon's Brytly (apraclonidine 0.125%) as a nonprescription eye drop to relieve redness from minor irritations, for adults and children aged 12 and older.
A PLOS Medicine study of 461,682 adults aged 50–71 in the NIH-AARP cohort, published 15 October 2026, found no association between overall ultra-processed food intake and colorectal cancer — but processed meat was linked to higher risk and whole grains, fibre, dairy and calcium to lower risk. Observational; self-reported diet. Not medical advice.
Roche said on 16 October 2026 that the FDA approved Enspryng (satralizumab), an IL-6 receptor antibody, for adults with thyroid eye disease — the first subcutaneous option that patients or carers can inject at home. One of two Phase III trials missed its primary endpoint. Not medical advice.
Preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association’s Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2026 estimates that raising blood-pressure control from about 20% to 80% of patients in 20 middle-income countries could avert 518,476 cardiovascular deaths a year. Modelling; not yet peer-reviewed. Not medical advice.
On 14 October 2026 the FDA expanded Anktiva (nogapendekin alfa inbakicept-pmln) with BCG to adults with high-grade papillary-only bladder cancer that has not invaded muscle and failed BCG — the first approval for that indication, bridged from CIS trial NCT03022825 (62% complete response). Not medical advice.
A Rockefeller/MSK retrospective analysis published in Nature on 14 October 2026 used AI on cancer-related PET/CT scans from more than 100,000 people and associated more active brown fat with fewer diagnoses including type 2 diabetes, depression and anxiety. Observational; cancer-patient cohort limits causal claims. Not medical advice.
A cross-sectional BMJ study of 6,308 MAUDE summary reports (159,503 events, July 2019–June 2025) found 57% lacked a device/use problem, 55% missed the 30-day deadline, and other accuracy gaps. Observational passive-surveillance analysis; not medical advice for individual devices.
A peer-reviewed Nature Medicine phase 1 study published 14 October 2026 reports that Dana-Farber’s NeoVax peptide vaccines plus delayed anti-PD-1 were manufacturable and without unexpected safety signals in ten platinum-sensitive high-grade epithelial ovarian cancer patients; biomarkers suggested activity in six of ten.
On 14 October 2026 the U.S. FDA announced an initiative, backed by a new white paper, to redesign rare-disease drug and biologic development for small populations; a public meeting is set for 28 October at White Oak with the Reagan-Udall Foundation.
On 13 October 2026 BioNTech said the Phase 2/3 AHEAD-MERIT trial of mRNA immunotherapy BNT113 plus pembrolizumab did not meet its first dual primary endpoint of progression-free survival versus pembrolizumab alone; the IDMC recommended continuing for overall survival under the pre-specified design.
On 13 October 2026 the World Health Organization released an online TB-in-pregnancy-and-lactation research toolkit with practical guidance for trial sponsors, ethics committees and regulators — follow-up to its 2025 consensus on earlier inclusion of these groups.
A 13 October 2026 News & Views highlights secondary analyses of the phase 2 RIO trial: among early-treated men receiving long-acting bNAbs during treatment interruption, baseline autologous neutralizing activity and reservoir sensitivity to 10-1074 associated with delayed ART restart — correlative findings with important limits.
On 13 October 2026 CEPI said final preparations are underway for Tumaini, an adaptive Phase 2/3 ring-vaccination platform trial of candidates against Bundibugyo virus — for which no licensed vaccine exists — subject to ethics and regulatory approval.
Member States passed a non-binding political declaration on pandemic prevention by 153–3 with two abstentions. WHO’s Tedros called for completing the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing annex so the Pandemic Agreement can enter into force.
Researchers linked routine weight, lab and tumor-genomic data to consensus-defined wasting episodes that clustered near disease progression; TP53 mutations tracked with higher risk. The observational work does not prove causes or guide individual treatment.
In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 45 healthy adults, intramuscular BPL-1357 raised serum antibodies to several influenza antigens; nasal dosing showed weaker responses. Efficacy against flu disease is not yet known.
An employee of the Irkutsk Antiplague Research Institute died on 2 October; Russian authorities say tests for high-threat pathogens were negative and all contacts stayed healthy.
WHO strongly advises against obesity medicines, surgery and devices for children aged 0–9 and suggests drugs for adolescents only after supervised lifestyle treatment fails — stricter than current US guidance.
Among 333,687 US veterans with type 2 diabetes, two years off GLP-1 medicines was linked to a 22% higher risk of heart attack, stroke or death than staying on them.
Universal germline testing of about 39,000 patients with solid tumours at Memorial Sloan Kettering found 16.3% carried a pathogenic variant — and 72% of carriers were 50 or older.
An analysis of 12.4 million blood immune cells from 2,609 adults links a higher share of granzyme B-producing cells (versus granzyme K) to later chronic disease and death; the link is an association, not proof of cause.
A Cochrane systematic review published on 9 October finds high-certainty evidence that gifts and payments to doctors worsen prescribing appropriateness and raise prescription volumes; conflict-of-interest rules likely help.
A Lancet Haematology analysis of 606 children and young adults in Angola, DR Congo, Kenya and Uganda found no increase in clinically diagnosed infections on hydroxyurea, even at maximum tolerated dose.
Weltruza is the first once-monthly subcutaneous long-acting olanzapine, with no loading dose, oral supplementation or post-injection monitoring required, Teva says. Approval rests on the Phase 3 SOLARIS trial.
The oral helicase-primase inhibitor is for mucocutaneous HSV lesions that have not responded to acyclovir, valacyclovir or famciclovir. It is the FDA's 46th novel drug approval of 2026.
Based on the ATOMIC phase 3 trial, Genentech’s Tecentriq with fluoropyrimidine and oxaliplatin cut the risk of disease recurrence or death by half after surgery for Stage III mismatch-repair-deficient colon cancer. Overall survival was not significantly different.
In a randomised double-blind trial of 341 people with motor fluctuations on levodopa, once-daily 150 mg solengepras cut daily OFF time by 0.61 hours versus placebo at Week 12. The company plans FDA talks toward a possible NDA; the drug is not yet approved.
The FDA has accepted Bayer’s supplemental application to expand finerenone (Kerendia) to adults with chronic kidney disease who do not have diabetes. Acceptance is not approval; FIND-CKD showed a slower eGFR decline and fewer kidney–CV events versus placebo.
A study in Cell Reports Medicine reports that an mRNA vaccine with a modified 'fusion loop' protected monkeys from Zika while producing antibodies that showed negligible dengue antibody-dependent enhancement. It is an animal study; human trials are still needed.
Adding the oral drug tucatinib to trastuzumab and pertuzumab after initial chemotherapy extended median progression-free survival from 16.3 to 24.9 months in the HER2CLIMB-05 trial. The label carries a boxed warning for severe liver toxicity, and survival data are not yet available.
Analysing health records and genes of more than 187,000 adults aged 50+, University of Pittsburgh researchers found that people with ADHD were far more likely to develop dementia or mild cognitive impairment. The study is observational and does not prove cause.
A study in Nature Metabolism reports that L-arginine binds directly to the NLRP3 protein and stops the inflammasome from assembling. Supplements eased gout-like arthritis and Parkinson's-like symptoms in mice; there are no human trial results yet.
At a longevity conference in Boston, the two drugmakers reported that semaglutide and tirzepatide lowered molecular measures of biological age by roughly two to three years versus placebo. The results are company data, not yet peer-reviewed.
In 16 women with obesity and prediabetes, three months of the SGLT2 inhibitor empagliflozin reduced monocyte–platelet aggregates, cells linked to vascular inflammation, while a low-calorie diet group did not show this. The pilot study was small and measured markers, not heart attacks.
In 683 urine samples, a Stanford test that reads tumour RNA rather than DNA detected 95% of localised bladder cancers and correctly cleared 90% of people without cancer. It is an early development study that still needs larger prospective trials.
By statistically estimating problem-solving scores for UK Biobank participants who never took the test, researchers grew their sample to over 455,000 people and found 550 common variants and 26 genes with rare variants linked to scores. The authors stress the results apply to groups, not individuals.
Einstein researchers report in Nature Aging that a decline in chaperone-mediated autophagy with age lets senescent cells escape immune clearance in mice. An experimental drug, CA77.1, reduced their build-up and lessened lung fibrosis — in animals only, so far.
A Johns Hopkins open-label pilot of 20 people with lingering symptoms after treated Lyme disease found symptom burden about 40% lower six months after two psilocybin sessions with psychological support. Without a control group, the results cannot show the drug caused the improvement.
Pennsylvania has reported 943 confirmed measles cases across 39 counties and a fifth measles-associated death. Local officials told The Guardian that spread beyond the Lancaster County epicentre is likely, and that most of the state's 67 counties have no health department of their own.
Chinese researchers attached two or three copies of the flu drugs zanamivir or peramivir to an antibody fragment. In a Nature Communications study published on 4 October 2026, the trivalent peramivir version outperformed baloxavir and the long-acting candidate CD388 against several flu strains in mice. No human data yet.
A phase 3 NEJM trial of Lilly’s triple agonist retatrutide in 2,339 adults with obesity without diabetes reported ~25% mean weight loss at 12 mg after 80 weeks (treatment-regimen estimand) versus ~3.9% on placebo; GI side effects were common. Not personal medical advice.
On 2 October 2026 the FDA approved Eli Lilly’s pirtobrutinib (Jaypirca) for adults with previously untreated CLL or SLL without known 17p deletion, based on BRUIN CLL-313; overall survival data remain immature. Not personal medical advice.
On 2 October 2026 BioMarin presented five-year open-label extension data from PROPEL at the World Muscle Society congress: among 82 adults on continuous POMBILITI + OPFOLDA, motor function was largely sustained and pulmonary measures relatively stable; no new safety signals, with known infusion risks. Not personal medical advice.
Boehringer Ingelheim’s dual GLP-1/glucagon agonist survodutide showed up to about 13.1% mean weight loss over 76 weeks versus about 3.1% on placebo in adults with overweight/obesity and type 2 diabetes (SYNCHRONIZE-2; NEJM + EASD). About 18% discontinued for GI adverse events vs ~1.2% placebo. Not FDA-approved; CVOT ongoing. Not medical advice.
A 52-week randomised placebo-controlled trial (n=106; NCT04865770) of subcutaneous semaglutide 1 mg weekly in type 2 diabetes with CKD found coprimary MRI outcomes not significantly altered; secondary signals included lower renal artery resistive index, fibrosis-related MRI markers and endothelial transcriptomic shifts. Mechanistic, limited by size and multiplicity — not medical advice.
A Nature news report (2 Oct 2026) covers a secondary analysis arguing that a single 2006 Iranian trial of 40 children unduly favoured fluoxetine (Prozac) in major paediatric depression meta-analyses; re-running without it removes a clear benefit. Authors ask guideline committees to review evidence — they do not call for stopping prescriptions. Not medical advice.
On 1 October 2026 Genentech announced that detailed Phase III evERA results for investigational oral SERD giredestrant plus everolimus versus standard endocrine therapy plus everolimus were published in the New England Journal of Medicine, with FDA PDUFA dates later in 2026.
On 1 October 2026 the U.S. FDA approved the Autus Size-Adjustable Valve from Edwards Lifesciences — the first surgically implanted pulmonary valve designed to expand as children grow, based on a 62-patient clinical study.
On 1 October 2026 Bristol Myers Squibb said the FDA approved an expanded indication for CAMZYOS (mavacamten) for symptomatic obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in adults and pediatric patients weighing 30 kg or more, based on the Phase 3 SCOUT-HCM trial.
On 30 September 2026 Roche said the FDA accepted its new drug application under priority review for oral non-covalent BTK inhibitor fenebrutinib in relapsing MS and primary progressive MS — the first BTK inhibitor with U.S. filing acceptance in both forms — supported by Phase III FENhance and FENtrepid data.
On 30 September 2026 Eli Lilly reported Phase 2 mid-stage trial results (EASD, Milan) in obesity with Type 2 diabetes: the highest combo dose of eloralintide (amylin) plus tirzepatide averaged up to 23.3% weight loss over 48 weeks versus 14.8% on high-dose tirzepatide alone.
An IARC/WHO analysis in The Lancet Oncology (online ~28–29 September 2026; covered 30 September) estimates about 2.3 million new cancer cases in 2024 — roughly 12%, or one in eight worldwide — were attributable to infections, with most of the burden in low- and middle-income countries.
A peer-reviewed phase 1 study published in Nature Medicine on 29 September 2026 reports that the covalent Werner helicase (WRN) inhibitor RO7589831 (VVD-133214) had a manageable safety profile and 74.2% disease control among MSI efficacy-evaluable patients with advanced solid tumors, most previously treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.
A peer-reviewed Nature Genetics study (online 28 September 2026; research briefing 29 September) finds that both PARP inhibitors and carboplatin expand blood clones with DNA-damage-response mutations linked to therapy-related leukemia risk, that carboplatin exerts stronger selective pressure than PARPi, and that inherited homologous-recombination defects unexpectedly reduce that expansion.
On 29 September 2026 The Guardian reported freedom-of-information findings by a UCL researcher: among responding English NHS trusts, many experienced supply disruption of aspirin, co-codamol and the blood-pressure drug ramipril over recent months, while the Department of Health said most licensed medicines remain in good supply and serious shortage protocols are in use for ramipril.
On 28 September 2026 News Medical summarised an EASD conference presentation of an observational NutriNet-Santé analysis (89,953 French adults) finding that higher meat-derived Neu5Gc intake was associated with 63% higher type 2 diabetes risk after standard adjustments — with critical limits: not peer-reviewed final, observational, and the link lost significance after adjusting for total red meat.
An open-access Nature Medicine paper (22 September 2026) describes EAGLE, an AI model that detects esophageal cancer and high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia from chest noncontrast CT, trained on 6,813 patients and validated across 12 centers in three countries on 80,612 patients, with external screening specificity 98.5% and cancer sensitivity 90.0% — and important limits stated by the authors.
A 28 September 2026 Nature Biotechnology research briefing summarises peer-reviewed work by Tian and colleagues on AGENT, an AI framework that combined high-throughput experiments with Bayesian optimization to design thermostable solid-state mRNA–lipid nanoparticle vaccines retaining full bioactivity after two months at 37 °C in preclinical animal studies.
On 23 September 2026 GRAIL announced that an FDA Molecular and Clinical Genetics Devices advisory panel voted 7–2 (one abstention) that the benefits of its Galleri multi-cancer early detection blood test outweigh risks for adults aged 50 and older; a final FDA decision is still pending.
In late September 2026 the U.S. FDA approved Atebrioz (zilurgisertib), an oral once-daily ALK2 inhibitor from Mirum Pharmaceuticals and Incyte, to reduce total new heterotopic ossification volume in patients aged 12 and older with FOP, based on Phase 2 PROGRESS Cohort 1 data.
A 27 September 2026 BBC Science Focus feature reviews research on previously overlooked genomic regions that produce tiny ‘peptidein’ proteins, including work suggesting some cancers depend on them and an early-stage vaccine trial for Ewing sarcoma in Europe.
On 25 September 2026 Reuters reported that Viatris’s Mylan Pharmaceuticals sued Novo Nordisk in Delaware federal court, seeking a ruling that its proposed generic of the GLP-1 weight-loss drug Wegovy would not infringe a Novo patent on single-dose pen administration. Active-ingredient patents still run to 2032.
A peer-reviewed study published 25 September 2026 in Nature Cancer from Texas Children’s Duncan NRI and Baylor College of Medicine reports that stroke promotes glioma infiltration and reduces survival in human and mouse models via tumor-associated astrocytes and immune cells — preclinical findings, not a treatment guide.
On 22 September 2026 Roche reported topline Phase II results for once-weekly enicepatide (CT-388) in 447 adults with type 2 diabetes and overweight or obesity: at 24 mg, mean HbA1c fell 2.65% and mean weight loss was 15.5% at 48 weeks. Phase III programs are planned.
An observational study in Neurology of hospitalized first-ever strokes in Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky found incidence in ages 20–54 rose from 33.9 to 62.18 per 100,000 person-years. Authors caution that rising substance use does not clearly prove causation.
Intismeran autogene plus pembrolizumab improved recurrence-free survival versus Keytruda alone after surgery for Stage IIb–IV melanoma in INTerpath-001 (n=1,137). Full results are due at ESMO 2026; hazard ratios are not yet public.
Reported 24 September 2026, the FDA approved Eli Lilly's insulin efsitora alfa-gobe (Onswik) as a once-weekly injectable basal insulin adjunct to diet and exercise for adults with type 2 diabetes. It is not approved for type 1 diabetes.
A new analysis of the 17,604-patient SELECT trial found that changes in weight, waist size, blood pressure and blood markers accounted for at most about half of the drug's reduction in cardiovascular events.
A nationwide study in The BMJ found a higher risk of venous blood clots with any oral hormone therapy, while treatment through the skin showed no general increase. The absolute risks are small.
A genetic analysis led by Arizona State University suggests the H5N1 variant began expanding around summer 2024, before its first recognised detection that September. The authors call for faster sequencing and better-coordinated surveillance.