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.

As SGLT2 inhibitors continue to redefine the standard of care in 

, questions are shifting from whether to use them to which agent to choose for individual patients.

Both dapagliflozin and empagliflozin have established themselves as foundational therapies, supported by robust clinical trial evidence from landmark cardiovascular outcomes trials like EMPA-REG OUTCOME and DECLARE-TIMI 58 to later 

 trials such as DAPA-HF and EMPEROR-Reduced, along with 

-focused studies like DAPA-CKD and EMPA-KIDNEY, further reinforcing consistent cardiorenal benefits that extend beyond glycemic control and beyond diabetes itself.

Despite this robust and largely concordant body of randomized trial evidence, direct comparisons between individual SGLT2 inhibitors remain limited. Cross-trial differences in baseline cardiovascular risk, renal function, and inclusion criteria complicate efforts to draw definitive conclusions about relative efficacy, leaving clinicians to extrapolate across differing datasets. As these agents are increasingly initiated earlier in the disease course and in patients without established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, the absence of head-to-head data becomes more clinically relevant.

Understanding whether meaningful differences exist between agents could have important implications for tailoring therapy, optimizing outcomes, and aligning treatment decisions with individual patient risk profiles.

New data presented at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE) Annual Meeting 2026 by Lana Tannous, MD, New York Medical College and Landmark Medical Center, seek to address this gap through a retrospective cohort study using data from the TriNetX network.

She and colleagues conducted propensity score matching on demographics, cardiovascular and renal comorbidities, concomitant medications, and laboratory values in order to yield 2 well-balanced cohorts, with 307,562 patients in each group.

Upon analysis, empagliflozin was associated with a reduced risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (3.9% vs 4.1%; hazard ratio [HR], 1.10; 95% CI, 1.07-1.12; 

 <.001), heart failure exacerbation (19.2% vs 20.5%; HR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.09-1.13; 

<.001), and death (3.0% vs 3.3%; HR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.09-1.15; 

 <.001). Investigators additionally highlighted reduced risks of acute kidney injury (7.8% vs 8.6%; HR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.10-1.14; 

 <.001), dialysis (0.3% vs 0.5%; HR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.35-1.58; 

 < .001), and all-cause hospitalization/ER visits (27.9% vs 29.9%; HR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.11-1.13; 

 <.001) with empagliflozin compared to dapagliflozin.

Of note, there was no significant difference in stroke risk between the empagliflozin and dapagliflozin groups (1.3% vs 1.3%; HR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.97-1.06; 

“Results showed empagliflozin was associated with modestly lower risks of cardiovascular events, heart failure exacerbations, death, acute kidney injury, dialysis, and all-cause hospitalization/ER visits compared with dapagliflozin, despite only a small difference in glycemic control,” Tannous and colleagues wrote. “These findings suggest potential cardiorenal safety and effectiveness advantages of empagliflozin that warrant prospective confirmation.”

Tannous L, Agrawal S, Assis PR, et al. Real-World Comparative Effectiveness of Dapagliflozin and Empagliflozin on Cardiovascular, Renal, and Metabolic Outcomes. Poster presented at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE) Annual Meeting 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada, April 22-24, 2026.

Campbell P. Dapagliflozin Safe and Effective in Stage 4 Chronic Kidney Disease, DAPA-CKD Analysis Finds. HCPLive. July 20, 2021. Accessed April 22, 2026. 

https://www.hcplive.com/view/dapagliflozin-safe-and-effective-in-stage-4-chronic-kidney-disease-dapa-ckd-analysis-finds

Iapoce C. EMPA-KIDNEY Stopped Early Due to Clear Positive Efficacy with Empagliflozin. HCPLive. March 16, 2022. Accessed April 22, 2026. 

https://www.hcplive.com/view/empa-kidney-stopped-early-clear-positive-efficacy-empagliflozin

Articles

Dapagliflozin and empagliflozin are entrenched SGLT2 inhibitor options with consistent cardiorenal benefits across cardiovascular outcomes, heart failure, and CKD trials, yet the absence of head-to-head randomized data complicates agent selection as use expands to lower-risk populations. A TriNetX propensity score–matched retrospective analysis (307,562 patients per arm) compared real-world outcomes and found modestly lower event rates with empagliflozin across MACE, heart failure exacerbation, mortality, acute kidney injury, dialysis, and all-cause hospitalization/ED visits, with no stroke difference, warranting prospective confirmation.

Propensity-matched data link empagliflozin to lower risk of CV events, AKI, and other outcomes versus dapagliflozin in type 2 diabetes.

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Real-World Analysis Links Empagliflozin to Lower Cardiorenal Event Risk Versus Dapagliflozin in T2D

Ryan Livingston joined the MJH Life Sciences team in March of 2025, shortly after graduating from TCNJ with a bachelor’s degree in English. He enjoys creative writing, reading, and scuba diving. He can be reached at rlivingston@mjhlifesciences.com.

Esra’a Alshdifat, MD | Image Credit: NYCHH/Lincoln Department of Medicine

Patients with a prior history of alcohol-related pancreatitis saw substantially increased risks of recurrent pancreatitis, mortality, sepsis, and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) up to 5 years after initiating GLP-1 RA or dual GIP/GLP-1 agonists.

GLP-1 RAs are among the most prominent treatments for 

 in recent years, due to their impressive capacity for improving blood sugar control and cardiovascular health in addition to significant and persistent weight loss. However, evidence is severely limited regarding the association between GLP-1s and pancreatitis.

Previous research has indicated that the use of GLP-1s in a comorbidity-free population of patients with T2DM did not increase their risk of pancreatitis. However, given that many patients with alcohol-related pancreatitis are largely excluded from similar research and are therefore understudied, further research is necessary. This is especially true given the immense prominence of GLP-1 RAs in modern diabetes treatment.

American Association of Clinical Endocrinology Annual Meeting 2026

 in Las Vegas, Nevada, by Esra’a Alshdifat, MD, an endocrinology fellow at Lincoln Hospital. Alshdifat and colleagues attempted to bridge the existing gap between GLP-1 RAs and patients with prior alcohol-related pancreatitis.

The team conducted a multicenter retrospective cohort study, examining patients ≥18 years of age with T2DM or obesity who had initiated GLP-1 RA or dual GIP/GLP-1 RA. Data were collected from the TriNetX database, and the included patients were analyzed using 1:1 propensity score matching, with adjustment for major pancreatitis confounders. Patients were followed up for a total of 5 years.

A total of 4558 patients were ultimately enrolled in the trial, with 2279 assigned to both the prior pancreatitis and control cohorts. Following propensity score matching, Alshdifat and colleagues noted well-balanced baseline characteristics with no significant differences in clinical risk factors or demographics.

After 5 years, patients with prior alcohol-related pancreatitis displayed substantially increased risks of DKA, sepsis, mortality, and acute pancreatitis following initiation of incretin therapy. Alshdifat and colleagues note that these results support an increased degree of caution and the careful selection of patients when prescribing incretin therapies, given this population’s apparent high risk. Additionally, the team calls for further prospective studies to define the treatment’s safety.

“Prior pancreatitis history should influence incretin therapy decisions,” Alshdifat and colleagues wrote. “Careful monitoring is required if therapy is initiated. Prospective safety trials are urgently needed.”

Alshdifat E, D’Aza D, Yousef H, et al. Safety of GLP-1 and GIP/GLP-1 Agonists in Patients With Prior Alcohol-Related Pancreatitis: A Multi-Center Real-World Cohort Study. Abstract presented at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology Annual Meeting 2026, Las Vegas, NV. April 22-24, 2026.

Ayoub M, Chela H, Amin N, et al. Pancreatitis Risk Associated with GLP-1 Receptor Agonists, Considered as a Single Class, in a Comorbidity-Free Subgroup of Type 2 Diabetes Patients in the United States: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis. 

Real‑world TriNetX data evaluated adults with T2DM or obesity starting GLP‑1 receptor agonists or dual GIP/GLP‑1 agonists, comparing those with prior alcohol‑related pancreatitis versus matched controls. In a 1:1 propensity‑matched multicenter cohort (n=4558) with balanced baseline confounders, prior pancreatitis history was associated with higher 5‑year risks of recurrent acute pancreatitis, sepsis, diabetic ketoacidosis, and all‑cause mortality after incretin initiation. This contrasts with prior comorbidity‑free analyses and underscores gaps from historic trial exclusions.

A recent presentation at AACE 2026 highlights the drastically increased risk of mortality, sepsis, diabetic ketoacidosis, and recurrent acute pancreatitis after GLP-1 initiation.

GLP-1 Use in Patients with Prior Alcohol-Related Pancreatitis Dangerously Increases DKA, Mortality Risk

Bariatric Surgery in T1D Causes Sustained Weight Loss, Improves Comorbidities | Image Credit: Pexels

 and reducing required insulin, bariatric surgery in adults with 

 also emphasized the need for close perioperative diabetes management due to variable glycemic outcomes.

American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE) Annual Meeting 2026

 in Las Vegas, Nevada, by Lena Ayari, MD, from the department of endocrinology at Mayo Clinic Rochester, this retrospective cohort study aimed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of bariatric surgery in patients with T1D, including mortality, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), severe hypoglycemia, insulin regimen changes, and weight trajectory.

Bariatric surgery remains a cornerstone of treatment for obesity and metabolic dysfunction in 

; however, evidence is limited regarding its efficacy and safety in T1D. Previous studies examining the operation’s effectiveness in patients with T1D have often noted a modest or insignificant reduction in mean glycosylated hemoglobin, which experts have thus far been unable to sufficiently explain.

“Existing studies are small and raise concerns about postoperative complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and severe hypoglycemia,” Ayari and colleagues wrote. “Comprehensive long-term data are needed to better define risks, benefits, and ongoing care needs in T1D patients undergoing bariatric surgery.”

To address this, Ayari and colleagues collected data on patients with T1D undergoing surgery, including demographics and procedure type, insulin regimen changes, DKA and severe hypoglycemia events, serial body mass index (BMI) and HbA1c, and comorbidities such as 

. The team performed descriptive analyses to characterize outcomes, while longitudinal trends of weight, insulin use, and healthcare utilization were evaluated via within-subject comparisons over time.

All patients lost a significant amount of weight early in the study, with mean BMI decreasing from 39.3 kg/m2 preoperatively to the low-mid 30s at 6-12 months. Weight loss was also largely maintained through long-term follow-up – some regained weight by years 2-5, but all remained below baseline.

Regarding glycemic outcomes, the majority of patients saw early improvement in HbA1c, although several underwent deterioration or return to preoperative A1c levels despite sustained weight loss. Insulin requirement, however, decreased in nearly all patients, taking the form of reduced injection doses, lower daily insulin needs on pump therapy, and reductions in bolus insulin needs. In 1 patient, investigators saw a transition from high-dose NPH to lower-dose basal regimens.

Only 1 patient had an episode of DKA, which occurred early in the postoperative period as a result of missed insulin doses. Several patients exhibited fasting hypoglycemia, although severe hypoglycemia was uncommon and there were no recurrent DKA events after the initial postoperative period. Patients also saw frequent improvements in hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea, with multiple discontinuing CPAP or antihypertensives. Lipids and renal functions were largely stable.

Ultimately, Ayari and colleagues determined that bariatric surgery in T1D resulted in durable weight loss, improvement in comorbidities, and reduced insulin requirements. Early HbA1c improvement was common among the included patients, although long-term glycemic control varied. Additionally, DKA and fasting hypoglycemia, among other signals of postoperative metabolic instability, emphasize the need for close management following the procedure.

“These findings demonstrate both the potential benefits and important limitations of bariatric surgery in T1D and support the need for larger, long-term studies to guide patient selection, risk mitigation, and postoperative care strategies,” Ayari and colleagues wrote.

Ayari L, Rizvi S, Kudva Y. Long-Term Clinical Outcomes Following Bariatric Surgery in Adults With Type 1 Diabetes. Abstract presented at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology Annual Meeting 2026, Las Vegas, NV. April 22-24, 2026.

Korakas E, Kountouri A, Raptis A, Kokkinos A, Lambadiari V. Bariatric Surgery and Type 1 Diabetes: Unanswered Questions. 

Durable, clinically meaningful weight loss followed bariatric surgery in adults with T1D, with mean BMI dropping from severe obesity to the low–mid 30s within 6–12 months and remaining below baseline long term despite some regain. Insulin requirements decreased across regimens, including reduced bolus needs. HbA1c commonly improved early but showed heterogeneous durability, with some patients returning to preoperative levels despite maintained weight reduction. Postoperative metabolic instability occurred, including an early DKA event from missed insulin and intermittent fasting hypoglycemia, underscoring intensive perioperative management.

A recent study from AACE 2026 has indicated the value of bariatric surgery in adults with type 1 diabetes – and emphasized the need for closer perioperative management.

Type 1 Diabetes

Obesity Management

Obesity Management condition center page, resources on the topics of medical news and expert insight into clinical weight management can be found. Content includes articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, and breaking news on obesity research, treatment, and drug development.

Bariatric Surgery in T1D Causes Sustained Weight Loss, Improves Comorbidities

Psychiatry Infrastructure Lags Psychedelic Momentum, With Gus Alva, MD

Psychiatry currently lacks the infrastructure and trained workforce required to safely deliver 

 at scale, despite accelerating policy and research momentum, according to Gus Alva, MD, psychiatrist and medical director of ATP Clinical Research. Speaking in the context of recent federal efforts to expand access and research, Alva emphasized that adaptability exists within the field, but implementation capacity remains limited.

He noted that patients with risk factors such as bipolar disorder, psychosis vulnerability, or cardiovascular disease may require careful screening, including detailed psychiatric and family histories and trauma-informed assessments. Current trial protocols, he explained, rely on highly trained therapists, often requiring > 100 hours of specialized preparation.

“The reality is that we right now don't have a therapist pool in the US that would be able to actually fill in this particular slot,” Alva said. “Bear in mind also that these sessions require about 6 to 8 hours of dosing with facilitators, as well as medical backup…physical space, and integration sessions that are done before and after.”

He highlighted integration expertise as central to potential benefit, noting that clinicians must help patients process experiences during a period of heightened neuroplasticity. He also emphasized the importance of safety protocols, including contingency planning for difficult psychological responses, emergent suicidality, psychotic symptoms, or cardiovascular events.

Alva’s comments follow the April 18 executive order signed by President Donald J. Trump directing federal agencies to accelerate research and regulatory pathways for investigational psychedelic therapies.1,2 Alva cautioned that infrastructure development must keep pace with policy changes.

“What this executive order basically brought to the surface is that the way or the conduit for actually exploring psychedelics is going to become a little bit easier,” he said.

According to Alva, the executive order may help address persistent treatment gaps in major depressive disorder (MDD) or PTSD, where many patients do not achieve remission with current therapies. However, he raised concerns about applying Right to Try pathways to Schedule I psychedelics without sufficient safeguards. Although he characterized expanded clinical trial activity as necessary, he emphasized that premature adoption without adequate training, monitoring, and infrastructure could introduce risks.

“[A] training pipeline would certainly be one of the requisites that we'd be looking at,” Alva said.

Watch part 1 of our interview with Alva here: 

White House Order Accelerates Psychedelic Research for Mental Illness, With Gus Alva, MD

Relevant disclosures for Alva include Teva Pharmaceuticals, Otsuka America Pharmaceuticals, AbbVie Inc., Axsome Therapeutics, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, and more.

O’Neil G. Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness. The White House. Published on April 18, 2026. Accessed April 20, 2026. 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/04/accelerating-medical-treatments-for-serious-mental-illness/

Kotkiewicz J. Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump is Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness. The White House. Published April 18, 2026. 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2026/04/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-is-accelerating-medical-treatments-for-serious-mental-illness/

Videos

Alva discusses infrastructure gaps, training demands, and unmet psychiatric need amid accelerated policy momentum for psychedelic therapies.

Psychiatry

Psychiatry condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on mental illnesses. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and more.

Major Depressive Disorder

Major Depressive Disorder condition center page, resources on the topics of medical news and expert insight into depression can be found. Content includes articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, and breaking news on MDD research, treatment, and drug development.

PTSD

Victoria Johnson joined MJH Life Sciences in 2020 and has written for NeurologyLive, CGTLive, and is now an assistant managing editor for HCPLive and RheumatologyLive. She doesn’t have enough time for her numerous hobbies. You can reach her at vjohnson@mjhlifesciences.com.

The emergence of targeted biologic therapies in severe 

 has fundamentally altered the treatment paradigm for a disease once managed almost exclusively through inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators. Across a growing portfolio of approved agents — omalizumab, mepolizumab, benralizumab, reslizumab, dupilumab, tezepelumab, and most recently depemokimab — the identification of type 2 (T2) inflammation via blood eosinophil count and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) has enabled a precision medicine approach that was unimaginable a decade ago. Real-world registry data from the International Severe Asthma Registry (ISAR), now encompassing nearly 35,000 patients across 28 countries, indicate that approximately 30–50% of biologic-treated patients achieve clinical remission when defined by elimination of exacerbations, OCS discontinuation, normalized lung function, and symptom control — a target outcome once considered unattainable in severe disease.¹ In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the landscape has evolved more recently but is generating comparable enthusiasm: dupilumab and mepolizumab have both received regulatory approval as add-on therapies for patients with eosinophilic COPD who continue to exacerbate despite triple inhaled therapy, based on the BOREAS/NOTUS and MATINEE trial programs respectively.²

 convened a virtual clinical forum in April 2026 moderated by Antonio Anzueto, MD, emeritus professor at the University of Texas San Antonio and a member of the GOLD Guidelines Committee — bringing a clinical trialist's perspective to both guideline context and emerging evidence. The panel comprised seven pulmonary and critical care physicians based across Texas, in San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, and Plano, representing a mix of academic medical centers, county hospital systems, and private practice settings. The geographic and practice-setting diversity of the panel grounded the discussion in real-world challenges of biologic access and patient management in a state with high asthma burden and significant populations affected by COPD driven by biofuel and occupational exposures.

The forum convened at a moment when several concurrent developments are reshaping clinical practice in both diseases. The December 2025 FDA approval of depemokimab — the first twice-yearly biologic for severe eosinophilic asthma — has expanded the IL-5 class while introducing new questions about dosing interval management and real-world adherence.

 Publication of mucus plug scoring data from the VESTIGE trial in the 

American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine

 has introduced CT-based mucus plug quantification as a potential third biomarker for asthma biologic response, one the moderator argued will be routinely incorporated into practice within the coming years.

 Foundational data from the COPDGene cohort demonstrating that airway-occluding mucus plugs are independently associated with excess all-cause mortality and exacerbations in COPD have further elevated this imaging phenotype as a therapeutic target.

 And the GOLD 2026 report has formally incorporated biologics into the COPD escalation algorithm while strengthening the recommendation for baseline CT chest in all patients with COPD.

The most substantive discussion in the asthma segment centered on biologic selection and the practical limitations clinicians face in applying biomarker-driven decision-making. Panelists confirmed broad biologic adoption, with dupilumab as the most commonly initiated agent and eosinophil count as the primary selection driver, followed by FeNO where clinic access permitted. Availability of FeNO testing varied considerably across the group — some practices had integrated it into standard spirometry workflows, while county hospital systems lacked the equipment entirely. Anzueto described a practical model for cost justification through billing code development, noting the machine typically offsets its cost within the first several days of use in high-volume asthma practices. Polling results identified biomarkers as the leading clinical selection driver, but panelists consistently noted that insurance formulary placement and prior authorization requirements often determine the actual agent prescribed, effectively overriding clinical reasoning. 

The 2019 decision by GINA and GOLD to retire the asthma-COPD overlap (ACOS) classification was cited as a concrete example of how labeling can affect access — that reclassification was partly motivated by the recognition that ACOS designation was blocking biologic eligibility for patients who fundamentally had asthma. Depemokimab's six-month dosing interval was viewed as conceptually appealing for adherence-challenged patients, but insurance non-coverage was the primary barrier at forum time, and panelists raised questions about how patients and clinicians would recognize suboptimal disease control across such an extended interval. Combination biologic therapy — an approach occasionally attempted anecdotally in very severe OCS-dependent cases — was confirmed to have no supporting clinical trial data.

The mucus plug discussion represented the most scientifically forward-looking segment of the forum. Drawing on COPDGene's standardized CT methodology and biologic trial data from VESTIGE and CASCADE, Anzueto presented mucus plug scoring as an emerging third biomarker for asthma that could eventually predict biologic response alongside eosinophils and FeNO. In VESTIGE, patients with high baseline mucus plug scores (≥4) showed disproportionate improvements in pre-bronchodilator FEV1 at weeks 4, 12, and 24 with dupilumab, while low-score patients demonstrated no meaningful lung function benefit — suggesting mucus plug burden identifies a mechanistically responsive subgroup.

 CASCADE data with tezepelumab showed a parallel pattern.

 The moderator flagged an active randomized trial of dupilumab vs. placebo in chronic bronchitis COPD with mucus plug assessment as a primary endpoint, and noted that software tools for integrating mucus scoring into routine radiology reads are already in commercial development. Panelists were largely unfamiliar with this data, and several expressed interest in how it might eventually stratify biologic candidates in moderate disease below the current exacerbation-based threshold.

“I think what we need to do is we need to have our eyes open because these are going to be an area that we're going to see a lot of activity in the near future. Stratifying the patient's severity, not only based on the biomarkers that are traditionally eosinophils, the FeNO, the oral corticosteroids, until we can identify, oh, that's a severe individual. At 1 point, we'll be able to identify those patients based on the mucus plugs,” Anzueto said.

In the COPD segment, the panel reflected a field at an earlier stage of biologic integration, with greater uncertainty about patient selection and more significant access barriers. All panelists reported routinely checking eosinophil counts in new COPD patients — some reviewing historical CBCs retrospectively — but Anzueto noted that many automated panels do not include eosinophil differentials, leaving a practical data gap particularly relevant in county and safety-net settings. Real-world experience with dupilumab in COPD was described as mixed: exacerbation reduction was the most consistent finding, while FVC improvement was less reliably replicated outside the trial setting, particularly at borderline eosinophil thresholds. 

Anzueto contextualized declining apparent effect sizes in recent mepolizumab COPD trials — noting that baseline exacerbation rates in MATINEE (~1.01/year) were substantially lower than in earlier METREX/METREO studies (~1.7/year) as a direct consequence of optimized triple therapy raising the performance floor.

 Polling revealed that payer support and reimbursement guidance was the factor panelists most wanted to improve biologic integration in COPD, followed by clearer patient selection algorithms. Anzueto closed by reinforcing GOLD 2026's strong recommendation for baseline CT in all patients diagnosed with COPD — citing data showing that 60% of one cohort had significant coronary calcifications that had gone undetected, underscoring CT's value beyond pulmonary phenotyping — and predicting that AI-driven quantification of mucus plugs, emphysema burden, and small airway disease will ultimately define the next generation of COPD biomarkers.

Larenas-Linnemann D, Rhee CK, Altraja A, et al. International Severe Asthma Registry (ISAR): 2017–2024 status and progress update. 

 2025;88(2):193-215. doi:10.4168/trd.2024.0208

Criner GJ, Celli BR, Bhatt SP, et al. Mepolizumab for COPD with exacerbations and eosinophilia. 

 2023;389(23):2127-2138. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2303120

Jackson DJ, Wechsler ME, Menzies-Gow A, et al; SWIFT-1 and SWIFT-2 Investigators. Twice-yearly depemokimab in severe asthma with an eosinophilic phenotype. 

 2024;391(24):2337-2349. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2406673

Porsbjerg CM, Dunican EM, Lugogo NL, et al. Effect of dupilumab on mucus burden in patients with moderate-to-severe asthma: the VESTIGE trial. 

 Published online October 27, 2025. doi:10.1164/rccm.202410-1894OC

Diver S, McDowell PJ, Siddiqui S, et al. Tezepelumab and mucus plugs in patients with moderate-to-severe asthma. 

 2024;3(3):EVIDoa2300135. doi:10.1056/EVIDoa2300135

Diaz AA, Orejas JL, Grumley S, et al. Airway-occluding mucus plugs and mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 

 2023;329(21):1832-1839. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.2065

Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease. 

Global Strategy for Prevention, Diagnosis and Management of COPD: 2026 Report.

Targeted biologics have transformed severe asthma management by enabling biomarker-driven selection using blood eosinophils and FeNO, with registry data showing 30–50% remission in biologic-treated patients. Similar momentum is emerging in eosinophilic COPD following approvals of dupilumab and mepolizumab. Implementation remains constrained by FeNO availability, payer policies, and prior authorization, often overriding clinical choice. Depemokimab introduces twice-yearly dosing but raises monitoring and coverage questions. CT-quantified mucus plug burden is gaining traction as a third predictive biomarker in asthma and a prognostic phenotype in COPD.

Asthma

The HCPLive asthma page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on asthmatic disease. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for allergic and severe asthma, and more.

COPD

COPD condition center page, resources on the topics of medical news and expert insight into chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can be found. Content includes articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, and breaking news on COPD research, treatment, and drug development.

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.

From Eosinophils to Image Biomarkers: The Evolving Science of Biologic Selection in Asthma and COPD

Vinod E. Nambudiri, MD, MBA, MPH, is affiliated with Brigham and Women's Hospital and specializes in Dermatology and Internal Medicine.

At the 2026 AAD Annual Meeting, Nambudiri spoke on various points, including how emerging AI tools may help reduce administrative burden in dermatology.

Dermatology

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

What Changes Is AI Making in Dermatology? With Vinod Nambudiri, MD, MBA, MPH

Linda Stein Gold, MD, is a dermatologist at Henry Ford Health. 

New psoriasis data show durable, rapid skin clearance with modern biologics, spotlighting bimekizumab’s four-year remission and patient-tailored selection.

Video Series

Treatment Selection in Psoriasis

Patrick Campbell is the editorial director of HCPLive. Patrick has spent years spearheading coverage surrounding cardiometabolic health and rheumatic disease for MJH Life Sciences. Before joining MJH Life Sciences in 2019, he spent time as a beat reporter and/or multimedia specialist with the Pocono Record, Star News Group, and NJ Advance Media. He is the executive producer for multiple HCPLive podcasts, including Diabetes Dialogue, Don't Miss a Beat, Kidney Compass, Medical Ethics Unpacked, The Medical Sisterhood, and Skin of Color Savvy. 


Follow him on Twitter @RealPatCampbell or reach him via email at PCampbell@mjhlifesciences.com.

Teplizumab is now approved to treat stage 2 type 1 diabetes in kids 1 year and older.

FDA News

FDA Expands Teplizumab Approval to Children 1 Year & Older to Delay Type 1 Diabetes Onset

Explore how psoriasis biologics differ—TNF vs IL‑23/IL‑17—why classes matter, and what targeted therapy means for safety and results.

Understanding Biologic Therapies in Psoriasis

Learn when IV iron beats pills and when endoscopy matters in GI-related anemia—from bariatric surgery to IBD, celiac, GAVE, angiectasias.

ASH Clinical Practice Guidelines in Development and Remaining Evidence Gaps in IDA Management 

Armstrong’s interview highlights oral therapies in the psoriasis treatment space highlighted in her session at the 2026 AAD meeting.

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.

Recent Oral Therapy Developments in Psoriasis, With April W. Armstrong, MD, MPH

Hanna explains the real-world barriers to implementing gene editing therapies in sickle cell disease. 

Sickle Cell

Sickle Cell condition center page, resources on the topics of medical news and expert insight into sickle cell disease can be found. Content includes articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, and breaking news on sickle cell research, treatment, and drug development.

Hematology

Strategic Alliance Partnership

First-Generation Gene Editing in Sickle Cell Faces Real-World Limits Despite Breakthrough Results

Anick Bérard PhD, a researcher at CHU Sainte-Justine in Montreal, professor at the University of Montreal, and an adjunct professor Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1.

In an interview, Bérard discusses population-based data showing no increased risk of major congenital malformations with first-trimester asthma controller use.

Asthma Controllers Safe in First Trimester, With Anick Bérard, PhD

Aliza Narva, JD, BSN, MSN, director of ethics at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

In a Q&A with Dominic Sisti, Narva discusses ethics consult workflows, common conflicts, and lessons from complex ICU cases.



Clinical Ethics Consultation in Practice, With Aliza Narva, JD, MSN

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.

Ravulizumab reduced proteinuria by week 10 and met the primary endpoint in the phase 3 I CAN trial in IgA nephropathy.


IgA Nephropathy

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

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