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 research is shedding light on sex-based differences in the association between the frequency of binge drinking and advanced fibrosis, highlighting a heightened risk of liver injury among women even at low binge frequencies.

American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) The Liver Meeting 2025

 by Winston Dunn, MD, a professor in the division of gastroenterology at the University of Kansas Medical Center, and pose important implications for the accuracy of current metabolic dysfunction-associated alcohol-related liver disease (MetALD) and alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) definitions.

“The 2023 steatotic liver disease (SLD) nomenclature has defined MetALD and ALD based on average daily alcohol intake. However, binge drinking patterns have not yet been incorporated into these definitions,” Dunn and colleagues wrote.

The 2023 change in nomenclature saw nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) become 

metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)

 and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) become metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). However, the update also introduced an entirely new disease category, MetALD, for patients with MASLD who consume increased amounts of alcohol. Since the introduction of MetALD, several questions have been raised about how it should be defined, including alcohol thresholds.

To assess the associations between the frequency of binge drinking and advanced fibrosis, investigators assessed data from the NHANES 1999–2020 cohort for adults ≥ 18 years of age who did not have viral hepatitis. Alcohol intake was assessed through standardized questionnaires, capturing both average daily drinking and the frequency of binge drinking in the past year, defined as ≥4 drinks for women and ≥5 drinks for men on a single occasion. Advanced fibrosis was defined as FIB-4 ≥2.67.

Investigators first quantified the association between MetALD and ALD-level average daily drinking and advanced fibrosis, adjusting for demographic and metabolic risk factors. They then scanned the full range of binge drinking frequency to identify cutpoints that produced comparable adjusted odds ratios for advanced fibrosis.

Among 43447 eligible participants, 770 (2.4%) men and 559 (1.8%) women had advanced fibrosis. Investigators used the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of MetALD-level daily drinking (2.50; 95% CI, 1.76–3.50) and ALD-level daily drinking for advanced fibrosis (5.82; 95% CI, 3.27–10.3) as reference.

A total of 8486 men (45.4%, representing 50.3 million US adults) and 4471 women (22.0%, representing 26.8 million) reported some level of binge drinking. Investigators noted women binge drinking as infrequently as twice per year conferred a risk equivalent to MetALD-level daily drinking, while monthly bingeing matched the risk of ALD-level daily drinking. Beyond monthly frequency, they observed an exponentially increased risk.

Further analysis revealed men exhibited a higher threshold for harm: monthly bingeing approximated the risk of MetALD-level daily drinking, while daily bingeing approached the risk seen with ALD-level daily drinking.

Women face elevated risk even at low binge frequencies—comparable to the risk from MetALD-level daily drinking—whereas men require more frequent binge patterns to reach comparable risk,” investigators concluded.

 “These findings support a sex-specific approach to MetALD and ALD definitions and highlight the need to incorporate binge drinking frequency into clinical risk stratification and public health messaging.”

Dunn W, Arab JP, Diaz LA, et al. Sex-Specific Risk Thresholds of Binge Drinking Frequency for Advanced Fibrosis in the United States. Presented at the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) The Liver Meeting 2025. Washington, DC. November 7-11, 2025.

Brooks A. From NAFLD to MASLD: 2023 Brings New Liver Disease Nomenclature. HCPLive. December 13, 2025. Accessed November 7, 2025. 

https://www.hcplive.com/view/from-nafld-to-masld-2023-new-liver-disease-nomenclature

Articles

New research highlights sex-based differences in the risk of advanced fibrosis associated with binge drinking, revealing that women face a heightened risk even at low binge frequencies. The study, presented at the AASLD Liver Meeting 2025, suggests that current definitions of MetALD and ALD may need revision to incorporate binge drinking patterns. Data from the NHANES cohort showed that women binge drinking as infrequently as twice per year had risks comparable to MetALD-level daily drinking, while men required more frequent binge patterns to reach similar risk levels.

Findings support a sex-specific approach to MetALD and ALD definitions and the need to incorporate binge drinking frequency into clinical risk stratification.

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Women Face Higher Risk of Advanced Fibrosis Due to Binge Drinking Than Men

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

Panelists discuss how including adolescent patients (12 years and older) from the outset of phase 3 studies provides immediate treatment options for younger patients and increases clinician confidence in prescribing to this population.

Adolescent Oral Agent Data Implications

Patients in adolescent age groups benefited from inclusion in pivotal icotrokinra trials from the outset, providing immediate access to safety and efficacy data for individuals 12 years and older. This approach differs from traditional drug development, which typically studies adults first, then conducts separate pediatric trials years later, leaving younger patients without treatment options during critical developmental periods. Early inclusion ensures adolescent patients and their families have comprehensive data supporting treatment decisions without lengthy delays.

Health care providers gain confidence in prescribing oral treatments to younger patients when robust adolescent data exist from initial phase 3 studies rather than extrapolated adult data. Patients 12 years and older demonstrated excellent responses to oral treatment, with safety profiles supporting use in younger individuals who may have decades of psoriasis management ahead of them. The comprehensive study approach provides reassurance for families considering long-term treatment options for adolescent patients.

Adolescent patients typically prefer oral medication options over injectable treatments, making convenient once-daily oral therapy particularly appealing for this age group. Young patients often struggle with injection anxiety or may feel self-conscious about biologic administration, whereas oral medication eliminates these barriers to treatment adherence. The ease of oral administration supports consistent treatment during adolescence, when establishing lifelong health management patterns is crucial for optimal outcomes.

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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.

Panelists discuss how icotrokinra demonstrated significant efficacy in high-impact areas, achieving clear or almost clear scalp in 66% of patients and clear or almost clear genital psoriasis in 77% of patients at week 16.

CONIC-TOTAL Trial Results and Impact on Sensitive Areas in Psoriasis

Patients with scalp psoriasis experienced significant improvement in the ICONIC-TOTAL studies, with approximately two-thirds achieving clear or almost clear scalp at 16 weeks of icotrokinra treatment. Individuals entering the trial with moderate to severe scalp involvement found substantial relief from persistent itching, flaking, and visible scaling that had previously affected their daily interactions and self-confidence. The oral treatment eliminated the need for topical scalp applications that many patients find messy, inconvenient, or ineffective.

Patients with genital psoriasis, representing about one-third of individuals with psoriasis, achieved clear or almost clear genital area involvement in 77% of cases at 16 weeks. This high-impact area significantly affects patients’ intimate relationships and overall quality of life, often causing embarrassment that prevents individuals from discussing the condition with health care providers. The remarkable response rates provide substantial relief for patients dealing with this sensitive area of involvement, which profoundly impacts personal relationships and emotional well-being.

Patients benefit from oral treatment that eliminates the challenges of applying topical medications to sensitive, hard-to-reach, or highly visible areas, such as the scalp and genital region. Many individuals prefer oral therapy to avoid the inconvenience, messiness, or inadequate coverage associated with topical treatments in these areas. The oral approach provides comprehensive treatment without requiring patients to navigate complex topical application routines or worry about product visibility in hair or intimate areas.

OX40/OX40L Target Shows Promise for Atopic Diseases I Raj Chovatiya, MD, PhD Insights at ACAAI 2025

, Raj Chovatiya, MD, PhD, from Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, said that the OX40/ OX40L target shows promise as a first-line treatment for conditions such as 

atopic dermatitis, asthma, and chronic urticaria 

“I think that these therapies definitely are going to be the right first-time choice for some patients, for others that might feel that they want to get a little more experience; they might be used after other systemic therapies,” Chovatiya said. “The nice thing is that we have data for both of these populations, and so I look forward to seeing some more of those sub-analyses to really help us understand what it means to be truly naive, or treatment-experienced and be treated with drugs like rocatinlimab and amlitelimab.”

Chovatiya will present the OX40/OX40 ligand target at the 

2025 American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting 

in Orlando, Florida, on Saturday, November 8, during the session, “7 for 11: Hot Therapeutic Targets in Allergy and Immunology.”

 spoke with Chovatiya about what we know to date about the OX40/OX40 ligand pathway from clinical trials and how OX-40-targeted therapies fit into existing treatment. He talked about 2 treatments under investigation: rocatinlimab, an antibody that binds to the OX40 receptor on T cells, and amlitelimab, an antibody that binds to the OX40 ligand on activated antigen-presenting cells.

Although rocatinlimab and amlitelimab show promise in atopic diseases, Chovatiya noted one major challenge, which is the lack of real-world data.

“These are very different drugs [from the] ones we've had before,” he said. “It's not like we're seeing yet another blocker of the IL-13 pathway, so we have an idea what to expect clinically. I think there's going to be a lot of challenges and growing pains, like with any new therapeutic class when it's introduced into the real world.”

Chovatiya looks forward to hearing his colleagues’ experiences with integrating these OX40-targeting therapies into real-world practice. He said he is curious to see how it will fall into the treatment paradigm, whether it will be used as a monotherapy or combination therapy, the timing of when patients will experience improvement, and the long-term advantages of these therapies over therapies with other targets.

“I want people to get excited, because at the end of the day, excitement is what drives more innovation,” Chovatiya said. “Understanding that we need more drugs for atopic dermatitis and every drug is going to have a slightly different home and a different scenario… really allows us to have a number of distinct therapies that coexist. You really have to be into the science…and you have to try [these drugs] …and figure out the right patients. By virtue of all of us being able to stay on top of the data and clinical use, we're going to really be able to create a picture of exactly finding the right treatment for the right patient.”

Relevant disclosures for Chovatiya include AbbVie, Amgen, Apogee Therapeutics, Arcutis, Argenx, ASLAN Pharmaceuticals, Beiersdorf, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Cara Therapeutics, Dermavant, Eli Lilly and Company, FIDE, Formation Bio, Galderma, Genentech, GSK, Incyte, LEO Pharma, L’Oréal, Nektar Therapeutics, Novartis, Opsidio, Pfizer Inc., Regeneron, RAPT, Sanofi, Sitryx, and UCB.

Chovatiya R. 7 for 11: Hot Therapeutic Targets in Allergy and Immunology (OX40/OX40L). Presented at 

Amgen And Kyowa Kirin Announce Top-Line Results from Rocatinlimab Phase 3 Ascend Long-Term Extension Study in Adults With Moderate To Severe Atopic Dermatitis. Amgen. Amgen. Published 2020. 

https://www.amgen.com/newsroom/press-releases/2025/09/amgen-and-kyowa-kirin-announce-top-line-results-from-rocatinlimab-phase-3-ascend-long-term-extension-study-in-adults-with-moderate-to-severe-atopic-dermatitis

Press Release: Sanofi’s amlitelimab met all primary and key secondary endpoints in the COAST 1 phase 3 study in adults and adolescents with atopic dermatitis. Sanofi.com. Published 2025. 

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

Ahead of ACAAI 2025, HCPLive spoke with Chovatiya on challenges in translating these promising immunologic targets into real-world clinical practice.

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.

Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic Dermatitis condition center page, audiences can find a variety of coverage mediums for medical news and updates, including articles, video interviews, podcasts, and breaking news on dermatitis research, treatment, and drug development.

Next Step for OX40/OX40L: Real-World Data in Atopic Dermatitis, With Raj Chovatiya, MD, PhD

OX40/OX40 Ligand Target Offers Broader Acting Therapy for Atopic Dermatitis, With Raj Chovatiya, MD, PhD

American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology (ACAAI) 

 spoke with Raj Chovatiya, MD, PhD, from Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, on his upcoming presentation, “7 for 11: Hot Therapeutic Targets in 

 He will specifically present on OX40/OX40L, otherwise known as the interaction between the costimulatory TNF receptor OX40 and its ligand, OX40L, and its role in atopic diseases.

“In atopic dermatitis, we've largely had therapies that target downstream elements of inflammation, so this includes cytokines like IL-4 and IL-13, IL-31 and intracellular signaling pathways like the JAK stat pathway, but a challenge has always been that atopic dermatitis is a fairly immunologic heterogeneous disease, meaning that there isn't simply a single cytokine or 2 cytokines that are responsible for the majority of the disease state,” Chovatiya said. “Simply targeting 1 or 2 cytokines may not be enough.”

He continued that OX40 and OX40 ligand activate various types of T-cells. By inhibiting the interaction, it may be possible to stop at the source of the production of T-cells that are driving the disease.

“In many ways, it's a broader acting therapy, but a specifically broader acting therapy that really tends to target this whole compartment of T-cell mediated inflammation,” Chovatiya continued.

Phase 2 and 3 trials have studied this OX40/OX40 ligand target. Therapies investigated include rocatinlimab, an antibody that binds to the OX40 receptor on T cells, and amlitelimab, an antibody that binds to the OX40 ligand on activated antigen-presenting cells. 

“One of the most compelling data we had from earlier phase studies for both of these molecules were that, in addition to patients being able to achieve clinically relevant improvement in the signs and symptoms of their disease, there seemed to be fairly long lasting efficacy, in the sense that patients seem to be able to achieve relatively stable responses even when they are withdrawn from therapy,” Chovatiya said. “The logic here was that perhaps these drugs were in some way modifying elements of the disease at an immunologic level…this has always been one of the holy grails for disease states like atopic dermatitis…. We’ve now been paying very close attention to some of the initial phase 3 readouts to see if this is really going to hold up in a larger-scale clinical trial. Thus far, what we found is that the OX40 and OX40 ligand targeting molecules work.”

Chovatiya R. 7 for 11: Hot Therapeutic Targets in Allergy and Immunology (OX40/OX40L). Presented at ACAAI 2025 in Orlando

Curti BD, Kovacsovics-Bankowski M, Morris N, et al. OX40 is a potent immune-stimulating target in late-stage cancer patients. 

Raj Chovatiya, MD, PhD, from Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, presented on the OX40/OX40L interaction at the 2025 ACAAI Annual Scientific Meeting. This interaction plays a crucial role in atopic diseases by activating T-cells. Targeting OX40/OX40L could offer a broader therapeutic approach for atopic dermatitis, which is immunologically heterogeneous. Phase 2 and 3 trials of rocatinlimab and amlitelimab have shown promising results, with long-lasting efficacy even after therapy withdrawal. These findings suggest potential disease modification at an immunologic level, a significant advancement in treating atopic dermatitis.

At ACAAI 2025, HCPLive spoke with Chovatiya on the OX40/OX40L pathway and what makes it an attractive therapeutic target over other established pathways.

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.

Kiran Khush, MD, is a heart failure cardiologist at Stanford Health Care and section chief of Heart Failure, Cardiac Transplantation, and Mechanical Circulatory Support at Stanford University.

Khush discusses the promising results of the recent SHORE study, highlighting the new biomarker’s capacity for reducing surgical procedures.

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...

SHORE: Donor-Derived Cell-Free DNA Validated as Biomarker for AMR, With Kiran Khush, MD

Victoria Johnson joined the MJH Life Sciences in 2020 and has written for NeurologyLive, CGTLive, and now HCPLive. You can reach her at vjohnson@mjhlifesciences.com

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.

BESTOW: Tegoprubart Showcases Safer Prevention of Kidney Transplant Rejection Over Tacrolimus

Julie Khlevner, MD, AGAFAssociate Professor of Pediatrics at Columbia University Medical CenterChair, NASPGHAN Neurogastroenterology and Motility Committee. 

Julie Khlevner, MD, AGAF, highlights that FDA approval of linaclotide provides the first pharmacologic therapy for pediatric IBS-C.

Gastroenterology

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, IBS and IBD, Crohn's disease, and more.

FDA News

Julie Khlevner, MD, AGAF, Reacts to the FDA Approval of Linaclotide for Pediatric IBS-C

Heather Goff, MD, MPH, is an associate professor of dermatology at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

This segment of Goff’s SDPA Fall 2025 interview features a discussion of dietary changes and sunscreen use as a means to improve skin health.

Impacts of Sunscreen and Diet on Skin Health and Lifespan, With Heather Goff, MD, MPH

Discussion on differentiating spontaneous from inducible urticaria, identifying triggers, and streamlining diagnosis in dermatology and primary care.

Navigating Guideline Recommendations for CSU Management in Real-World Settings

Amanda Armstrong, MD, MPH, introduces the evolving CSU landscape and outlines key objectives: guideline alignment, treatment optimization, and integration of new targeted agents.

Diagnostic Challenges and Triggers of CSU

In this interview at SDPA Fall 2025, Goff highlights several takeaways from her session on lifestyle and diet choices among patients in the dermatology space.

Tips on Advising Dermatology Patients on Diet and Lifestyle Choices, With Heather Goff, MD, MPH

The rheumatology month in review emphasizes new data presented at the 2025 ACR Convergence.

Rheumatology

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Rheumatoid Arthritis

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Lupus

Psoriatic Arthritis

On the HCPLive psoriatic arthritis page, resources on the topics of medical news and expert insight into PsA can be found. Content includes articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, and breaking news on arthritis, and more.

7 Rheumatology Headlines You Missed in October 2025

Thomas Wallach, MD, Chief, Pediatric Gastroenterology, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, New York, New York.

Thomas Wallach, MD, discusses phase 3 safety data of tenapanor in pediatric patients with IBS-C, presented at the 2025 NASPGHAN Annual Meeting. 

Discussing Safety, Tolerability of Tenapanor in Pediatric IBS-C patients, with Thomas Wallach, MD

Jonathan Barratt, MBChB, PhD, discusses 36-week atacicept data from ASN Kidney Week 2025.

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.

Latest News

Women Face Higher Risk of Advanced Fibrosis Due to Binge Drinking Than Men

Adolescent Oral Agent Data Implications

CONIC-TOTAL Trial Results and Impact on Sensitive Areas in Psoriasis

Next Step for OX40/OX40L: Real-World Data in Atopic Dermatitis, With Raj Chovatiya, MD, PhD

OX40/OX40 Ligand Target Offers Broader Acting Therapy for Atopic Dermatitis, With Raj Chovatiya, MD, PhD