Eingun James Song, MD, is the director of clinical research for Frontier Dermatology. 

OX40 for Atopic Dermatitis: A Target at a Crossroads

 is a heterogeneous inflammatory skin disease driven by immune dysregulation across multiple T cell axes — Th2, Th17, Th22, and others — making it notoriously difficult to treat consistently across patient populations. Current approved biologics and small molecules largely intervene downstream, targeting individual cytokines or intracellular signaling cascades. Effective as these agents are, disease recurrence upon treatment discontinuation remains a significant limitation for many patients.

The OX40 pathway represented a potential workaround. By intervening upstream — at the interface between antigen-presenting cells and T cells — OX40-targeted therapies theoretically offered not just symptom control but the prospect of durable remission, including suppression of effector memory T cells long thought responsible for disease persistence after treatment withdrawal. Two agents advanced into late-phase development targeting this pathway: rocatinlimab, an anti-OX40 receptor monoclonal antibody developed by Kyowa Kirin with Amgen, and amlitelimab, an anti-OX40 ligand monoclonal antibody developed by Sanofi.

Rocatinlimab demonstrated clinically meaningful efficacy in the pivotal ROCKET-IGNITE and ROCKET-HORIZON Phase 3 trials, results of which were published in 

 in November 2025.¹ IGNITE enrolled 769 adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, including patients previously treated with a biologic or systemic JAK inhibitor. At week 24, EASI-75 was achieved by 42% of patients receiving the 300 mg dose and 36% receiving 150 mg, compared with 13% on placebo (

 < .001 for both). vIGA-AD 0/1 was achieved by 24% and 19% of the respective dose groups versus 9% on placebo (

 = .002, respectively). In the HORIZON monotherapy trial, 33% of patients on rocatinlimab 300 mg achieved EASI-75 versus 14% on placebo (difference 19.1%; 95% CI, 12.4–25.2), with vIGA-AD 0/1 reached by 19% versus 7%.¹ 

However, rocatinlimab was associated with adverse events including pyrexia, chills, and aphthous ulcers, and its efficacy was not demonstrated to be superior to dupilumab in head-to-head data. In March 2026, Kyowa Kirin and Amgen announced the discontinuation of all rocatinlimab clinical trials following a planned safety review that identified 1 newly confirmed and 1 suspected case of Kaposi sarcoma across the global program, in addition to a previously confirmed case — findings the companies concluded suggested a potential mechanistic link to OX40 pathway modulation.²

The key mechanistic distinction separating rocatinlimab from amlitelimab is not simply target specificity but the downstream consequence of that distinction. Rocatinlimab binds the OX40 receptor on activated T cells and, critically, depletes those cells via antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Amlitelimab targets the OX40 ligand on dendritic cells and is explicitly non-depleting, blocking signaling through steric hindrance rather than cellular elimination. Sanofi has continued to advance its program despite disclosing 1 case of Kaposi's sarcoma in the ATLANTIS long-term safety study — occurring in a patient with known risk factors — and presented 3-trial Phase 3 data from COAST 1, COAST 2, and SHORE as late-breaking research at the 

2026 American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting

Across all 3 trials, amlitelimab was evaluated at dosing intervals of every 4 weeks (Q4W) and every 12 weeks (Q12W). In COAST 1 (n = 601), vIGA-AD 0/1 was achieved by 21.1% of patients in the Q4W arm and 22.5% in the Q12W arm, versus 9.2% on placebo (

 ≤ .01 for both). EASI-75 rates were 35.9% (Q4W) and 39.1% (Q12W) versus 19.1% on placebo (

 < .001 for both). In COAST 2, vIGA-AD 0/1 rates were 25.3% and 25.7% for Q4W and Q12W, respectively, compared with 14.8% on placebo (

 ≤ .025 for both); EASI-75 and peak pruritus numerical rating scale response reached nominal significance, though the more stringent vIGA-AD 0/1 with barely perceptible erythema endpoint did not. The combination therapy SHORE trial produced the highest response rates across the program, with vIGA-AD 0/1 achieved by 28.7% (Q4W) and 32.3% (Q12W) versus 16.8% on placebo, and EASI-75 rates approaching 47–48% in treated arms versus 32.3% for placebo.⁵ A key feature across all 3 datasets was progressive efficacy with no evidence of plateau at week 24, suggesting continued improvement beyond the primary endpoint window. In the ATLANTIS long-term safety analysis, vIGA-AD 0/1 rates increased from 35.4% at week 24 to 50.3% at week 52, with EASI-75 rising from 62.9% to 76.5% over the same period.³ COAST 2 did not meet its European co-primary estimand endpoints, a distinction with potential regulatory implications outside the United States.

Whether amlitelimab's mechanistic and safety profile is sufficiently differentiated from rocatinlimab's to overcome the shadow cast by the class-level Kaposi's sarcoma signal is an active point of debate among clinicians. 

 spoke with 3 leading dermatologists to explore both sides of this question, what the Phase 3 data show, and what comes next for OX40 targeting in atopic dermatitis.

 — Co-Chief Medical Officer and Director of Clinical Research, Frontier Dermatology

— Professor and Chief of Dermatology, University of California, Los Angeles

 — Director of Clinical Research, Southern California Dermatology and faculty at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center

Armstrong’s disclosures include AbbVie, Almirall, Arcutis, ASLAN, Beiersdorf, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Dermavant, Dermira, EPI, Incyte, Janssen, LEO Pharma, Eli Lilly, Nimbus, Novartis, Ortho Dermatologics, Parexel, Pfizer, Regeneron, Sanofi, Sun, and UCB. Soung’s disclosures include AbbVie, Amgen, Arcutis, Aslan, Bristol Myers Squibb, Coval Biopharma, Dermavant, Eli Lilly, Johnson & Johnson, KoBio Labs, National Psoriasis Foundation, Novartis, Ortho Dermatologic, Oruka, Pfizer, Regeneron/Sanofi, and UCB. Song’s disclosures include AbbVie, Alphyn Biologics, Amgen, Apogee, Arcutis, Bristol Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, Dermavant, DermBiont, Galderma, Incyte, Janssen, LEO Pharma, MoonLake, Novartis, Ortho, Pfizer, Regeneron, Sanofi, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Timber Pharmaceuticals, and UCB.

Guttman-Yassky E, et al. Efficacy and safety of rocatinlimab for the treatment of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in ROCKET-IGNITE and ROCKET-HORIZON: two global, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised phase 3 clinical trials. 

 2025;406(10510):1424-1442. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(25)01865-3

Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd. Kyowa Kirin announces discontinuation of rocatinlimab clinical trials. GlobeNewswire. Published March 3, 2026. 

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/03/03/3248303/0/en/Kyowa-Kirin-Announces-Discontinuation-of-Rocatinlimab-Clinical-Trials.html

Sanofi. Sanofi's amlitelimab met all primary and key secondary endpoints in the COAST 1 phase 3 study in adults and adolescents with atopic dermatitis. Press release. Published September 4, 2025. 

https://www.sanofi.com/en/media-room/press-releases/2025/2025-09-04-05-00-00-3144170

Sanofi. Sanofi's amlitelimab confirms its potential in atopic dermatitis. Press release. Published January 23, 2026. 

https://www.sanofi.com/en/media-room/press-releases/2026/2026-01-23-06-00-00-3224400

Sanofi. AAD: new results from Sanofi's amlitelimab phase 3 studies in atopic dermatitis presented in late-breaking research session. Press release. Published March 28, 2026. 

https://www.sanofi.com/en/media-room/press-releases/2026/2026-03-28-15-00-00-3264184

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David Kass, MD, is the Abraham and Virginia Weiss Professor of Cardiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Severe Obesity Linked to Distinct Myocardial Dysfunction in HFpEF

 with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) includes two biologically distinct subgroups defined by body mass index (BMI).

Given the known disproportionate impact of obesity on HFpEF, a National Institutes of Health-funded study identified reduced cardiomyocyte contraction despite preserved ejection fraction in patients with 

Understanding HFpEF: Clinical Burden and Remaining Gaps

Approximately 75 million people worldwide live with heart failure, including about 7 million in the United States. HFpEF accounts for more than 50% of these cases.

“Some hearts in heart failure are very big and dilated, like a giant measuring cup. I could pour out just a little of what’s inside, but that could still fill a glass,” study investigator David Kass, MD, the Abraham and Virginia Weiss Professor of Cardiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said. “The percent coming out is not very much because it’s a very large volume to start with—that’s what we call ejection fraction.”

Obesity has been identified as a major driver of HFpEF, with excess adipose tissue contributing to systemic inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, and mechanical cardiac strain, ultimately leading to increased ventricular stiffness, elevated filling pressures, and reduced functional capacity.

Many therapies effective in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) have not shown consistent benefit in HFpEF, with multiple large clinical trials yielding neutral or modest results, Kass explained. One of the first therapies to demonstrate clear outcome benefits in HFpEF was sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, originally developed for diabetes before showing cardiovascular benefit.

How Did Kass and Colleagues Conduct Their Research?

Researchers at Johns Hopkins conducted a biopsy-based investigation of myocardial tissue from patients with HFpEF, using millimeter-scale samples obtained through an established clinical research program.

From these samples, investigators isolated individual cardiomyocytes and conducted approximately 30 functional measurements assessing key aspects of myocardial performance, including calcium responsiveness, cellular stiffness, and structural properties.

To analyze patterns across the dataset, researchers applied a machine learning–based clustering approach to identify potential subgroups within HFpEF based on cellular characteristics.

The algorithm identified two clearly distinct groups within the HFpEF population divided by BMI

One group demonstrated severe obesity, while the comparison group had an average BMI of approximately 30 kg/m².

Notably, traditional clinical measures commonly used to characterize heart failure—including blood pressure, cardiac output, and filling pressures—did not differ between the groups.

Impaired Cardiomyocyte Function in Severe Obesity–Associated HFpEF

In patients with HFpEF and severe obesity, cardiomyocyte contraction was significantly reduced compared with less obese patients, despite similar clinical hemodynamic profiles.

These cells demonstrated reduced calcium responsiveness and diminished force generation, both of which are essential for increasing cardiac output during physical activity.

“In the very obese group, contraction… was not preserved… it was actually quite reduced,” Kass said.

These cellular abnormalities were also reflected in clinical performance. Patients whose cardiomyocytes showed worse function had reduced exercise capacity and higher intracardiac pressures during physiological stress testing.

The findings challenge the traditional view of HFpEF as a single disease defined primarily by impaired relaxation and preserved systolic function.

Instead, HFpEF appears to include biologically distinct subgroups that are not captured by standard clinical metrics such as ejection fraction.

“Even though all these patients look like HFpEF clinically, at the cellular level they are quite different,” the investigator said.

The results raise questions about whether current HFpEF treatment strategies adequately reflect underlying biological differences between patient subgroups.

Many existing and investigational therapies assume preserved or even enhanced myocardial contraction in HFpEF. However, these assumptions may not apply uniformly, particularly in patients with severe obesity–associated disease.

The findings suggest a potential mismatch between therapeutic mechanisms and disease biology in certain HFpEF phenotypes, highlighting the need for more stratified approaches to treatment.

Editor’s Note: Kass reports no relevant disclosures. 

Scientists find people with severe obesity and heart failure have weakened heart muscle contractions. Weight loss may reverse this condition. EurekAlert! Published April 23, 2026. Accessed April 24, 2026. 

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1124709?

Borlaug BA, Jensen MC, Kitzman DW, Carolyn S.P. Lam, Masaru Obokata, Rider OJ. Obesity and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: new insights and pathophysiological targets. 

Kass explains 2 distinct biological subgroups discovered in HFpEF and how they relate to a paradigm shift. 

Cardiology

Cardiology condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on cardiovascular and cardiometabolic diseases. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for heart disease and cardiovascular events, as well as associated diabetes, renal failure, and more...

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Diana Isaacs, PharmD, is an endocrine clinical pharmacist, director of Education and Training in Diabetes Technology, and codirector of Endocrine Disorders in Pregnancy at the Cleveland Clinic.

Elizabeth Bauer, MD, is the chair of the Obesity and Nutrition Disease State Network at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE) and associate professor of medicine at Uniformed Services University.

Diabetes Dialogue: Technology, Therapeutics, & Real-World Perspectives!

Diabetes Dialogue: Nutrition, Medication, and Treatment in Obesity With Elizabeth Bauer, MD

In this episode of Diabetes Dialogue, recorded on-site at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE) Annual Meeting 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada, cohosts Diana Isaacs, PharmD, and Natalie Bellini, DNP, welcome Elizabeth Bauer, MD, a clinical endocrinologist and obesity specialist, to discuss key updates in obesity management presented during her “Year in Review” session at the AACE Annual Meeting. Bauer opens by highlighting AACE’s updated obesity algorithm, released in late 2024, which builds on the organization’s prior adiposity-based chronic disease framework and shifts obesity care further away from BMI-centered diagnosis toward a more comprehensive, disease-centric model. She explains the algorithm’s emphasis on anthropometric assessment, adiposity distribution, and obesity staging, noting that clinicians must move beyond weight alone to better identify obesity-related complications and personalize treatment decisions.

The discussion focuses on the algorithm’s practical value, particularly its structured staging system and medication tables that help clinicians match pharmacotherapy to obesity-related comorbidities such as diabetes, MASLD, and obstructive sleep apnea. Bauer emphasizes that treatment goals should be complication-specific—for example, modest weight loss may improve glycemia, while greater total body weight reduction is needed for meaningful improvement in MASH. She and the hosts stress that obesity management should prioritize whole-person health rather than weight alone, drawing parallels to the evolution of diabetes treatment toward complication-driven care.

The group then turns to emerging pharmacotherapies, with Bauer reviewing several phase 2 and 3 obesity trials involving newer incretin-based agents. She highlights mazdutide, a once-weekly GLP-1–based therapy studied in Chinese populations using lower BMI thresholds more reflective of Asian obesity risk, as well as combination therapies such as semaglutide plus cagrilintide, which demonstrated greater efficacy than semaglutide alone but with substantially higher gastrointestinal adverse effects. Bauer notes that while these agents show impressive weight loss potential, tolerability remains a major clinical challenge, particularly with nausea and dose escalation.

A significant portion of the conversation centers on management of GI side effects from GLP-1 receptor agonists. Bauer explains her clinical philosophy of treating obesity like any other chronic disease—avoiding the routine practice of prescribing one medication to manage side effects caused by another whenever possible. While she may prescribe small, limited quantities of ondansetron during titration, she emphasizes that persistent nausea should prompt dose adjustment or medication changes rather than indefinite antiemetic use. The hosts discuss how slower titration strategies in real-world practice often improve tolerability compared with rigid clinical trial protocols and may help optimize long-acting monthly GLP-1 agents currently in development.

The episode also reviews bariatric surgery data, including randomized trials comparing laparoscopic banding, sleeve gastrectomy, and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Bauer notes that both sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y demonstrated superior efficacy and fewer complications compared with lap band procedures, while long-term comparisons between sleeve and bypass showed strong outcomes for both, with Roux-en-Y numerically favoring weight loss but often without statistically significant superiority. She also discusses higher reoperation rates among patients initially undergoing sleeve gastrectomy, often due to inadequate weight loss or significant reflux requiring conversion to bypass.

The conversation concludes with an important discussion on post-bariatric surgery weight regain and the growing use of GLP-1–based therapies after surgery. Bauer challenges the misconception that surgery “cures” obesity, emphasizing that obesity remains a chronic disease driven by persistent biology, inflammation, and environmental factors even after anatomical intervention. She notes emerging evidence suggesting that GLP-1 therapies used before or after bariatric surgery may improve long-term outcomes and reduce weight regain. She closes by reinforcing the need for clinicians to approach obesity with the same chronic disease mindset applied to diabetes—recognizing that durable management requires ongoing treatment, not a one-time intervention.

Editors’ Note: Isaacs reports disclosures with Dexcom, Abbott, Lilly, Novo Nordisk, Medtronic, Insulet, and others. Bellini reports disclosures with Abbott Diabetes Care, MannKind, Povention Bio, and others. Bauer reports no relevant disclosures.

Bauer E. DSN Year in Review: Nutrition & Obesity. Presented at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology, Las Vegas, NV. April 22-24, 2026.

Podcasts

Elizabeth Bauer, MD, joins the show to discuss her AACE 2026 presentation on key updates in obesity management and nutrition.

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Strategic Alliance Partnership

Crinecerfont Reduces Glucocorticoid Doses in CAH, With Richard Auchus, MD, PhD

Crinecerfont (Crenessity) has demonstrated substantial and sustained reductions in glucocorticoid doses among adults with 

classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH)

, according to 2-year data from the CAHtalyst Adult study.

American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE) Annual Meeting 2026

 in Las Vegas, Nevada, by Richard Auchus, MD, PhD, professor of pharmacology and internal medicine at the University of Michigan.

“Glucocorticoids are not a good thing to be taking chronically – yes, you need them to survive, but you don’t really need them overnight,” Auchus told 

 in an exclusive interview. “What crinecerfont did was allow us to reduce the dose and put it in a more physiological regime, front-loading it in the morning, allowing them to have a circadian rhythm, and maintaining disease control at a level that the endocrinologist in the trial felt was appropriate for that patient.”

Crinecerfont, a selective oral corticotropin-releasing factor type 1 receptor (CRF1) antagonist, functions by reducing and controlling excess adrenocorticotropic hormone and adrenal antigens. It was first approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December of 2024 for the treatment of CAH in conjunction with glucocorticoids among adults and children ≥4 years.

CAHtalyst Adult was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 study evaluating crinecerfont in adults with classic CAH. It consisted of a 24-week randomized period during which patients were assigned to either crinecerfont or placebo, followed by 1 year of active treatment with crinecerfont. Patients were then given the option to participate in an open-label extension period, which is projected to last for roughly 3 years.

Patients were eligible for the study if they had a medically confirmed CAH diagnosis due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency and were on a stable steroid regimen. Patients with a diagnosis of any other known form of classic CAH, a history of bilateral adrenalectomy, hypopituitarism, or other conditions requiring chronic glucocorticoid therapy, or a clinically significant unstable medical condition or chronic disease aside from CAH, among other criteria, were excluded from the trial.

The present data highlights 2-year data from the open-label extension – by month 24, 69% of the participants (103/149) had achieved a physiologic glucocorticoid dose of ≤11 mg/m2/day of hydrocortisone equivalents. Additionally, many participants had eliminated nonphysiologic glucocorticoid types altogether. Among the patients initially taking dexamethasone (n = 20), 75% shifted to a dexamethasone-free regimen, while 62% (37/60) taking >2 doses of hydrocortisone per day were able to eliminate a dose.

Auchus also highlighted the significant retention throughout the open-label extension: >80% of patients were still taking crinecerfont at 2 years with no new safety signals detected.

“CAH is a chronic disease, and there’s a lot of disease burden for these patients,” Auchus said. “We want them to be able to just take their medicine and get on with their lives and not worry about things. I think that high retention rate tells you that people are on board with this system.”

Editors’ Note: Auchus reports disclosures with Adrenas Therapeutics, Corcept, Crinetics, Neurocrine Biosciences, Recordati, Astellas, and others.

Bancos I, Hamidi O, Kiefer F, et al. Adults With Classic Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia Taking Crinecerfont Demonstrated Sustained Decreases in Glucocorticoid Doses: 2-Year Results from the CAHtalyst Adult Study. Presented at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology Annual Meeting 2026, Las Vegas, NV. April 22-24, 2026.

Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. Neurocrine Biosciences Presents New Two-Year CRENESSITY (crinecerfont) Data Showing Sustained Glucocorticoid Dose Reductions While Maintaining Androgen Control in Adults with Classic Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia. 

. April 22, 2026. Accessed April 24, 2026. 

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/neurocrine-biosciences-presents-new-two-year-crenessity-crinecerfont-data-showing-sustained-glucocorticoid-dose-reductions-while-maintaining-androgen-control-in-adults-with-classic-congenital-adrenal-hyperplasia-302749451.html

Iapoce C. FDA Approves Crinecerfont for Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia. 

. December 13, 2024. Accessed April 24, 2026. 

https://www.hcplive.com/view/fda-approves-crinecerfont-for-congenital-adrenal-hyperplasia

Neurocrine Biosciences. Global Safety and Efficacy Registration Study of Crinecerfont for Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAHtalyst). ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04490915. Updated February 5, 2025. Accessed April 24, 2026. 

https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04490915

Auchus discusses the 2-year results from CAHtalyst Adult, highlighting the substantial retention rates over the open-label extension period.

Jagbir Gill, MD, MPH, is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Nephrology at the University of British Columbia and Medical Director of the Kidney Transplant Program at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver. He also serves as Medical Director of Data and Quality for BC Transplant, President of the Canadian Organ Replacement Register Board of Directors, and as Treasurer for the Canadian Society of Transplantation.

Transplant Care Strategies to Target Mistrust, Close Gaps in Indigenous Communities

Reducing disparities in transplant access for those who reside in Indigenous communities will involve addressing mistrust of the healthcare system, geographic barriers, and making education and resources accessible and patient-centered.

Jagbir Gill, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Nephrology at the University of British Columbia (UBC), shared these common-sense patient-centered solutions to transplant inequities at the 46th Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT), and then sat down with 

The Residential School System and a Foundation of Mistrust

The residential school system Gill refers to was a government-funded, church-run program in Canada, established in the 19th century, where children from Indigenous families were forcibly removed from their homes. The United States, similarly, implemented “boarding schools” where assimilation tactics and abuses took place.

In his practice, Gill has seen patients who are residential school survivors, along with children and grandchildren of survivors, noting the remaining and significant amount of mistrust in the healthcare system.

“Entering a hospital or clinical environment—which can feel very institutional—can be deeply triggering,” said Gill. “That creates a real challenge when patients are trying to access care that is meant to help or save their lives.”

Approaching Geographic Barriers In Remote/Rural Communities

Often, communities with Indigenous individuals exist in rural or remote areas, outside the breadth of hospitals or healthcare options. Gill’s research revealed that missed appointments were attributed to long-distance transportation hurdles, lost wages, and lack of childcare, not non-adherence.

“As it stands, the model of care for complex services like transplantation is based in large urban hubs and major hospitals. These systems were not designed to meet the needs of patients living in rural and remote regions,” Gill explained. “If we consider the history, the high proportion of Indigenous peoples living in rural and remote areas is not entirely by choice. There has been significant historical displacement, which must also be taken into account.”

One approach to adapting the model of care to these patients' needs is to meet them where they are. This involves bringing resources into communities or making healthcare more accessible through clustered, coordinated transplant workups.

“You have to understand context,” said Gill. “If someone is working as a fisherman and is away for extended periods, that is not non-adherence. If someone misses appointments because they live three and a half hours away or lack phone coverage, that is not non-adherence either.”

Gill gives the example of having a patient come for a week-long stay at a further transplantation center for thorough, pre-planned appointments. By combining these pieces into one trip, this rules out the problem of needing to coordinate multiple trips to transplant centers across multiple dates. Otherwise, virtual care can also be a solution to answering this unmet need.

However, funding remains a key structural part of gaining access to these resources, especially in setting up nurse navigators and coordinating these tests and appointments.

How Storytelling With Community Leaders Can Build Awareness and Trust

When Gill and colleagues were developing their care model, they reached into Indigenous communities for patient-centered recommendations. They found that the existing education materials, which were primarily written, did not “resonate” with patients.

Since oral storytelling is central in Indigenous cultures, Gill and colleagues recognized the broader power of visual storytelling to connect patients with pertinent health information. They developed an education pathway by including prominent Indigenous community members with organ transplantation experience in testimonial videos, to encourage self-advocacy. They even touched on complex topics such as approaching someone about being a living kidney donor.

“Hearing directly from individuals with lived experience—patients who have undergone kidney disease, transplantation, or living donation—is much more powerful than hearing from healthcare workers who are adjacent to that experience,” said Gill. 

What Can Clinicians Do Differently to Support These Populations?

Gill underscores the importance of treating patients with empathy and understanding for their cultural history.


Consolidating transplant workups into single, extended visits to reduce repeated travel.


Using telehealth to reduce geographic barriers where appropriate.


Developing culturally relevant materials with Indigenous storytelling and patient-led video testimonials.


Integrating Indigenous wellness liaisons into care teams to support navigation and identify blind spots.

Team-based care and representation are hugely important, especially having an Indigenous wellness liaison to support patients and serve as an advocate. During activation rounds, they operate as a perspective to help identify blind spots.

“So we have to make decisions about allocation. The key principle is to start with those who need the most support—not necessarily the largest group or the loudest voice, but those with the greatest need,” said Gill. “That is the approach we’ve taken: provide a high standard of support to the highest-need populations first, and then expand from there to other groups who also require assistance but may not require the same level of intensity.”

Editor’s Note: Gill reports no relevant disclosures.

Canadian nephrologist shares common-sense, patient-centered solutions to transplant inequities. EurekAlert! Published April 22, 2026. Accessed April 23, 2026. 

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1124730

Park K. INDIGENOUS BOARDING SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA: POTENTIAL ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR REDRESS AS THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT INITIATES FORMAL INVESTIGATION. 

University of Oklahoma College of Law Digital Commons

. Published online 2023. Accessed April 23, 2026. 

https://digitalcommons.law.ou.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1764&context=ailr

Gill describes how storytelling and patient representation can build trust and education in Indigenous populations regarding transplantation. 


Nephrology

The HCPLive nephrology page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on kidney disease. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments in nephrology, and more.

Chronic Kidney Disease

Scott Isaacs, MD, is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Medicine at Emory University. He currently serves as Immediate Past President of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE).

Isaacs explains how prediabetes care is shifting toward early intervention, risk stratification, and prevention of cardiometabolic disease, not just progression to diabetes.

Breaking the ‘Watch and Wait’ Model in Prediabetes Care, With Scott Isaacs, MD

Oksana Hamidi, DO, is an associate professor in the division of endocrinology and metabolism at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

Hamidi reviews 2-year CAHtalyst data showing crinecerfont enabled sustained glucocorticoid reductions to physiologic range in adults with classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

CAHtalyst Adult: Sustained GC Reduction With Crinecerfont in CAH, With Oksana Hamidi, DO

Chelsie Derman is an associate editor for 

who covers allergy and  psychiatry. She joined MJH Life Sciences in September 2023 after graduating from The College of New Jersey with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and professional writing. In her free time, she enjoys creative writing and reading.

Articles

Twin phase 3 trials show triple therapy with budesonide–glycopyrronium–formoterol improves FEV1 and lowers severe exacerbation rates in patients with uncontrolled asthma on ICS–LABA


Pulmonology

Infectious Disease condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on respiratory health. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for asthma, COPD, interstitial lung disease, COVID-19, and more.

Asthma

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BGF Triple Therapy Improves Lung Function in Phase 3 Uncontrolled Asthma Controls

Christopher G. Bunick, MD, PhD, is an associate professor of dermatology at Yale University School of Medicine.

Christopher Bunick, MD, PhD, and colleagues conducted a review bispecific and trispecific antibodies in atopic dermatitis.

Bispecific and Trispecific Antibodies in Atopic Dermatitis, With Christopher Bunick, MD, PhD

Linda DiMeglio, MD, MPH, joins the show to discuss the growing movement towards screening and testing for T1D at an early stage.

podcasts page features a feed of medical news and interview podcast series, including DocTalk, Lungcast, Derm Discussions, and Heart Trials.

Diabetes Dialogue

Diabetes Dialogue: Technology, Therapeutics, & Real-World Perspectives is a monthly podcast hosted by Diana Isaacs, PharmD, and Natalie Bellini, DNP, aimed at providing a regular roundup of the latest clinically applicable insights across diabetes and metabolic diseases, with a focus on leveraging technology to improve care.

Diabetes Dialogue: The Push for Early-Stage T1D Screening and Treatment, With Linda DiMeglio, MD, MPH

Abigail Brooks is an assistant managing editor for 

She joined MJH Life Sciences in August 2023 shortly after graduating from Monmouth University where she earned her BA in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations/Journalism and later an MA in Interactive Digital Media. She enjoys traveling, running, and reading books. She can be reached at abrooks@mjhlifesciences.com.

New real world data suggest GLP-1 RAs do not drive DKA or pancreatitis risk in adult patients with type 1 diabetes and may reduce hospital admissions.

GLP-1 RAs Do Not Raise Diabetic Ketoacidosis, Pancreatitis Risk in Type 1 Diabetes

Shah discusses the potential of GLP-1 receptor agonists as adjunctive therapy in type 1 diabetes, from glycemic control to cardiometabolic risk.

Beyond Insulin: Evaluating GLP-1 RAs as Adjunctive Therapy in Type 1 Diabetes, With Viral Shah, MD

Jeffrey Mechanick, MD, is the medical director of the Marie-Josee and Henry R. Kravis Center for Cardiovascular Health at Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital and a professor of medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Mechanick discusses the importance of dietary interventions in endocrinology and highlights the need for further education and awareness of metabolic function.

Reemphasizing Nutrition and Diet in Managing Chronic Endocrine Disease, With Jeffrey Mechanick, MD

Yun Liu, PhD, is a senior staff research scientist at Google Health/Research, focused on developing and validating machine learning models for medical imaging, including pathology, dermatology, and ophthalmology.

In this segment of the interview, questions remaining about AI's effectiveness among patients in dermatology were explored.

Are Improvements in AI Needed for Dermatology Patients? With Rory Sayres, PhD, and Yun Liu, PhD

Rodolfo Galindo, MD, is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Miami, and Director of the Comprehensive Diabetes Center of UHealth and the Director of Diabetes Management for Jackson Health System, in Miami.

Galindo describes how CKM may transform diabetes care by enabling real-time insights, improving DKA prevention, and advancing metabolic understanding.

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Diabetes Dialogue: Nutrition, Medication, and Treatment in Obesity With Elizabeth Bauer, MD

Crinecerfont Reduces Glucocorticoid Doses in CAH, With Richard Auchus, MD, PhD

Transplant Care Strategies to Target Mistrust, Close Gaps in Indigenous Communities