Alex Hillenbrand is an assistant editor for 

. She earned her BA in English from Lafayette College in 2023 and went on to write for pop culture, entertainment, and sports media outlets before joining MJH Life Sciences in 2025. In her free time, Alex enjoys cooking, going on walks, and meeting new people. Contact her at mjhlifesciences.com.

MAJESTY, the first global phase 3 study in 

, met its primary endpoint of complete remission at 2 years with obinutuzumab (Gazyva).

Genentech announced the positive 2-year phase 3 results of obinutuzumab compared to tacrolimus on February 16, 2026, with the potential for the therapeutic to become the first approved treatment for PMN.

“These results demonstrate that obinutuzumab may help more people with primary membranous nephropathy achieve complete remission, maintain kidney function for longer, and delay or potentially prevent the onset of life-threatening complications,” said Levi Garraway, MD, PhD, chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development, in a statement. “If approved, Gazyva would be the first therapy specifically indicated for people with primary membranous nephropathy, where there are limited treatment options.”

In patients with PMN, approximately 30 to 40% with severe proteinuria progress to end-stage renal disease or experience significant, irreversible kidney failure 10 years postdiagnosis. A major driver of adverse clinical outcomes is failure to achieve remission, which has been associated with increased rates of needing replacement renal therapy and death.

Obinutuzumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody designed with a type II anti-CD20 region for direct B-cell death and a glycoengineered Fc region for increased binding affinity and increased antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. The therapy has already been approved for adults with 

 and in 100 countries for various types of hematological cancers.

MAJESTY, the phase 3 randomized, open-label, multicenter study, evaluated the efficacy and safety of obinutuzumab compared to tacrolimus in patients with PMN. The study included 142 participants who were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either obinutuzumab or tacrolimus. The primary endpoint was the percentage of people who achieved complete remission at week 104, or 2 years.

From the primary results, investigators reported statistically significant and clinically meaningful results with obinutuzumab in achieving complete remission at 2 years. Overall, safety was in line with the previous safety profile of obinutuzumab, with no new safety signals identified.

Upon analysis of key secondary endpoints, investigators observed statistically significant and clinically meaningful benefits in patients treated with obinutuzumab compared to those treated with tacrolimus in overall remission, complete or partial, at week 104 and complete remission at week 76.

Genentech Announces Positive Phase III Results for Gazyva in Primary Membranous Nephropathy, Marking a Significant Milestone in This Autoimmune Disease. BusinessWire. Published February 16, 2026. Accessed February 16, 2026. 

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260215765811/en/Genentech-Announces-Positive-Phase-III-Results-for-Gazyva-in-Primary-Membranous-Nephropathy-Marking-a-Significant-Milestone-in-This-Autoimmune-Disease

Westermann L, Rottmann FA, Hug MJ, et al. Clinical covariates influencing clinical outcomes in primary membranous nephropathy. 

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12882-023-03288-x

Articles

MAJESTY, a phase 3 study evaluating obinutuzumab in primary membranous nephropathy, demonstrates positive efficacy and safety.  


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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.

MAJESTY: Obinutuzumab Achieves 2 Year Complete Remission in Primary Membranous Nephropathy

Frances Lee, MD, is an assistant professor of medicine in the division of liver diseases at Mount Sinai.

The Safety of PPAR Agonists in PBC: Reviewing Recent Trial Data

In this episode, “The Safety of PPAR Agonists in PBC: Reviewing Recent Trial Data” the expert hepatologists explore key safety data from the ELATIVE trial on elafibranor and from RESPONSE on seladelpar.

Led by the moderator, the panelists examine the following critical question:

What have we learned about the safety of PPAR agonists from the primary trials of elafibranor (ELATIVE) and seladelpar (RESPONSE)?

Throughout the conversation, the experts provide a comprehensive reflection on the field and the factors that may shape how clinicians approach care moving forward.

The next episode in this series, “Addressing Fatigue: Traditional Management Outside Primary Therapy,” features the panelists advancing their conversation on PBC and focusing on how they typically manage patient fatigue beyond primary therapies. They discuss how to coach patients into beneficial health and wellness routines to reduce fatigue, and stress the importance of a regular sleeping schedule.

Videos

Explore the safety and long-term effects of PPAR agonists in patients with liver disease, addressing concerns about bone health and medication interactions.

Abraham Kazemi, MD, is the director of Cosmetic and Laser Dermatology for Virginia’s Pinnacle Dermatology sites.

Skin of Color Savvy: The Art and Science of Treating Patients of Color

Skin of Color Savvy: Serving the Underserved in Dermatology, With Abrahem Kazemi, MD

, board-certified dermatologist and director of cosmetics and laser dermatology for Pinnacle Dermatology, Abrahem Kazemi, MD, reflects on the personal and professional experiences that have shaped his approach to dermatologic care, particularly for underserved patient populations.

Practicing in northern Virginia, Kazemi describes building his clinic from the ground up and caring for a high-volume patient population that includes a significant number of Medicaid and underinsured individuals. He was asked about his journey into dermatology and shared that his interest was deeply personal. As a college student, he experienced severe nodulocystic acne and faced substantial barriers to accessing specialty care, resulting in delayed isotretinoin therapy and permanent scarring. That experience, he explained, instilled in him a commitment to closing gaps in dermatologic access and to practicing with empathy and humanism—values reinforced during his medical training at Howard University College of Medicine.

Kazemi also discussed the challenges of practicing dermatology in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, having completed residency training in New York City during the height of the crisis. He emphasized how that experience strengthened his resilience and prepared him to navigate complex clinical scenarios. Today, he frequently manages advanced presentations of disease among patients who face systemic barriers to care, including severe hidradenitis suppurativa, scarring alopecias such as central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA), and advanced skin cancers.

His clinical interests center on skin of color, inflammatory dermatoses, and hair disorders. He highlighted advances in systemic and procedural therapies for alopecia and hidradenitis suppurativa, including newer biologics and emerging oral agents. In cosmetic dermatology, Kazemi underscored the importance of appropriate laser selection and parameter adjustment in melanin-rich skin, cautioning against procedures performed by inadequately trained providers due to the risk of dyspigmentation and scarring.

A particularly impactful case involved a young man with discoid lupus erythematosus complicated by social instability and limited resources. He described coordinating care across rheumatology, primary care, psychiatry, and social services to ensure appropriate evaluation and treatment, ultimately achieving disease control. The case, he noted, reinforced that dermatology is rarely “skin deep” and often intersects with broader systemic and social determinants of health.

Kazemi also spoke about his involvement with the Skin of Color Society, particularly on its Media and Communications Subcommittee, emphasizing the importance of elevating evidence-based messaging as demographic shifts increase the relevance of skin of color expertise nationwide. He concluded with a message to colleagues and trainees: resilience, self-belief, and perseverance are essential, as the impact of dermatologic care—especially for underserved communities—extends far beyond the clinic.

To learn more about SOCS’s programs and initiatives, visit 

Editor’s note: This interview summary was edited with the help of AI tools.

This Skin of Color Savvy episode featured Abrahem Kazemi, MD, who speaks on several notable experiences he had as a dermatologist.

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Hosted by Skin of Color Society and produced by HCPLive, 

 delves into the latest research, clinical insights, and culturally intelligent care practices in dermatology with leading experts. 

Whether it’s groundbreaking research, practice-changing insights, or highlights from the SOCS community, this twice-monthly program provides dermatologists and care providers with expert perspectives on treating patients with skin of color.

The Efficacy of PPAR Agonists in PBC: Signals of Extrahepatic Improvements

This episode, titled “The Efficacy of PPAR Agonists in PBC: Signals of Extrahepatic Improvements,” features panelists discussing the mechanisms of action for both approved second-line therapies, elafibranor and seladelpar. They highlight the secondary fatigue and pruritus improvements observed in both agents and how that informs treatment decisions.

Led by the moderator, the experts examine the following critical questions:

If first-line treatment response is inadequate, there are currently two approved second-line treatments: elafibranor and seladelpar. Please compare and contrast the mechanisms of action among these two agents.

What have we learned about the efficacy of PPAR agonists from the primary trials of elafibranor (ELATIVE) and seladelpar (RESPONSE)?

What have we learned about the durability and biochemical impact of long-term elafibranor (ELATIVE OLE) or seladelpar (ASSURE OLE) from their respective open-label extension trials?

In the next episode, “The Safety of PPAR Agonists in PBC: Reviewing Recent Trial Data,” panelists will continue their discussion on PBC and highlight safety data from the ELATIVE and RESPONSE trials.

Explore the latest FDA-approved second-line therapies for PBC, including seladelpar and elafibranor, and their mechanisms of action.

No Class-Specific Early-Life Antibiotics Linked to Allergy, With Moath Hattab, MD

In a multicenter retrospective cohort of 423 children exposed to antibiotics in the first 6 months of life, nearly one-third (29.6%) were reported to have developed 

 in later childhood, with no clear association by antibiotic class or number of classes used.

“The absence of a class specific signal suggests that within antibiotic exposed infants, they couldn't identify one common antibiotic class that consistently increased or decreased later allergy risk, which is consistent with most previous studies, indicating no less specific association, but a general association between antibiotics and allergy,” lead investigator Moath Hattab, MD, from An-Najah National University, told 

The analysis revisits a longstanding clinical concern: whether early microbiome disruption meaningfully alters allergic risk trajectories. Another study published this year showed that early-life gut bacteria were linked to a lower food allergy risk and identified the strongest drivers of colonization with allergy-protective gut bacteria in infancy, which included vaginal delivery, exclusive breastfeeding, and early exposure to siblings.

Hattab and colleagues hypothesized that antibiotic use in infants would alter the microbiota and, as a result, would increase allergy risk.

 The study, conducted across 3 hospitals in the West Bank, Palestine, from April 2024 to January 2025, included 423 children (mean age, 7.33 years; 62.41% males) who had received antibiotic treatment within the first 6 months of life. The most frequently prescribed antibiotics were Beta-lactams: cefotaxime (78.49%) and ampicillin (63.59%).

Early-life antibiotics led to allergies in 29.55% of the sample. The most common manifestations of allergies included skin reactions (70.4%), wheezing (16.8%), and respiratory symptoms (10.4%); frequent triggers were food (10.17%) and dust (7.33%). The team observed a significant decrease in allergy with increasing age (

The study identified no significant link between the number of antibiotics used and the development of allergies (

 =.45). The analysis also did not show an association between the class of antibiotics and allergy development, except for Trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxazole (

“We saw a small signal suggesting lower allergy odds with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole as well,” Hattab said. “Because this exposure was uncommon, and the study is observational, it's not practice-changing. It's best viewed as a research signal to test a larger prospective data set.”

Hattab M, Sarrees YA, Sous M, et al. Early-life antibiotics and childhood allergy: a multi-center cohort. 

Pedersen S. HCPLive. Early-Life Gut Bacteria Linked to Lower Food Allergy Risk, With Susanne Pedersen. Published on February 5, 2026. Accessed on February 13, 2026. 

https://www.hcplive.com/view/early-life-gut-bacteria-linked-lower-food-allergy-risk-susanne-pedersen

A new study found no association between antibiotic class or number of classes in infancy and later allergic disease, reinforcing stewardship over substitution.


Allergy

Allergy condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on allergic and inflammatory diseases. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for food and seasonal allergies, as well as allergic asthma and related conditions.

Stay updated with the latest healthcare breakthroughs, FDA actions and new phase 2 and 3 data, in this week’s essential news roundup.

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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.

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The HCPFive: Top News for Healthcare Providers from the Week of 02/08

Ruchika Goel, MD, is a professor and associate vice chair of research at SIU School of Medicine.

In pediatric platelet transfusions, what counts as success depends on the clinical context and treatment goals, not just the platelet count.

Hematology

Rethinking What Defines Success in Pediatric Platelet Transfusion, With Ruchika Goel, MD

Dawn Eichenfield, MD, PhD, is a dermatologist at Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego and an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at UC San Diego School of Medicine.

Eichenfield speaks in this interview about several key takeaways drawn from her master class in pediatric dermatology at Maui Derm Hawaii.

Plaque Psoriasis

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

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 conference coverage page features articles, videos, and expert-led live coverage from major medical meetings throughout the year.

New Pediatric Atopic Dermatitis Updates for 2026, With Dawn Eichenfield, MD, PhD

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.

Experts discuss shifting CKD detection upstream, improving albuminuria screening, and enabling earlier, risk-based intervention.

Chronic Kidney Disease

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...

Rethinking Early Detection of CKD: A Shift Toward Upstream Care

The FDA denied accelerated approval for bitopertin, citing a need for evidence on clinical benefit from the ongoing phase 3 APOLLO trial. 


RDR Alert®

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FDA Issues Complete Response Letter to Bitopertin For Erythropoietic Protoporphyria

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.

Diana Isaacs, PharmD, and Natalie Bellini, DNP, discuss Ozempic’s approval in a higher-dose oral form and lingering concerns over compounded drugs.

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.

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 2 Diabetes

Strategic Alliance Partnership

Diabetes Dialogue: Oral Ozempic and the Risks of Compounding Formulas

Sophie Stocker, BsC, PhD, is a senior hospital scientist at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, and a senior lecturer at The University of Sydney

Stocker discusses findings from a pilot phase trial with clinical insight into a wearable patch for continuous drug measurement of vancomycin. 


Wearable Device Delivers 5-Minute Data on Vancomycin Levels in Pilot Trial, With Sophie Stocker, MD

Muthiah Vaduganathan, MD, MPH, is a cardiologist specializing in cardiorenal metabolism at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, MA. Vaduganathan is a member of Practical Cardiology's advisory board and co-host of Don't Miss a Beat, a podcast presented by Inside Cardiology.

This Heart Failure Awareness Week, revisit recent advancements and scope out the future of heart failure care with HCPLive.

Heart Failure

The HCPLive heart failure page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on HF. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments for heart disease, reduced and preserved ejection fraction, and more.

Smoothing the Road: Improving Heart Failure Awareness Among Clinicians and Patients

vice president of programs, public affairs, and research at Lung Health Foundation.

Developers emphasize plain language, explicit next steps, and clear limits to ensure the PLCOm2012-based tool supports, rather than replaces, formal lung cancer screening.


Lung Cancer

Safeguards in New Lung Cancer Risk Calculator, With Jessica Moffatt, PhD

Mark Kaufmann, MD, is a clinical professor in the Department of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.

This segment of an interview from Maui Derm Hawaii, featuring Mark Kaufmann, MD, highlights key advice on AI scribe use and billing effectiveness in dermatology practices.

Latest News

MAJESTY: Obinutuzumab Achieves 2 Year Complete Remission in Primary Membranous Nephropathy

The Safety of PPAR Agonists in PBC: Reviewing Recent Trial Data

Skin of Color Savvy: Serving the Underserved in Dermatology, With Abrahem Kazemi, MD

The Efficacy of PPAR Agonists in PBC: Signals of Extrahepatic Improvements

No Class-Specific Early-Life Antibiotics Linked to Allergy, With Moath Hattab, MD