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.

 has accepted Genentech's supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for obinutuzumab (Gazyva) for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the company announced on April 20, 2026. 

The filing is based on results from the phase 3 ALLEGORY trial, which demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in disease activity compared with placebo. An FDA decision is expected by December 2026. 

"The FDA's sBLA acceptance for Gazyva brings us one step closer to providing a highly effective new treatment option for people living with this unpredictable and potentially life-threatening disease," said Levi Garraway, MD, PhD, chief medical officer and head of Global Product Development at Genentech.¹

If approved, obinutuzumab would become the first anti-CD20 therapy indicated for SLE, a chronic autoimmune disease affecting more than 3 million people worldwide. The drug is already approved in the US and European Union for adults with active lupus nephritis, as well as for several hematological malignancies in approximately 100 countries.¹

The ALLEGORY study (NCT04963296) is a phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial that enrolled approximately 300 adults with SLE receiving standard therapy. Participants were randomized 1:1 to receive obinutuzumab or placebo for 52 weeks, followed by an open-label extension period with obinutuzumab for up to 104 additional weeks.¹

The trial met its primary endpoint: 76.7% of patients treated with obinutuzumab plus standard therapy achieved a 4-point or greater improvement on the SLE Responder Index (SRI-4) at 52 weeks, compared with 53.5% in the placebo group (adjusted difference, 23.1%; 95% CI, 12.5-33.6; 

Obinutuzumab was also superior to placebo across all key secondary endpoints, including British Isles Lupus Assessment Group–based Composite Lupus Assessment (BICLA) response at 52 weeks and sustained glucocorticoid reduction to 7.5 mg/day or less from week 40 through 52.¹

The remission rate at 52 weeks, as defined by the Definition of Remission in SLE (DORIS) criteria, more than doubled among obinutuzumab-treated patients (33.8% vs 13.8%; adjusted difference, 19.9%; 95% CI, 10.6-29.2). The Lupus Low Level Disease Activity State (LLDAS) rate also more than doubled (57.6% vs 25.0%; adjusted difference, 32.6%; 95% CI, 22.3-43.0). 

Of note, patients receiving obinutuzumab were significantly less likely to experience a disease flare through week 52, as measured by the BILAG index (hazard ratio, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.40-0.82; 

Safety findings were reported as consistent with the known profile of obinutuzumab, with no new safety signals identified. Key established risks include infusion-related reactions, infections, hepatitis B reactivation, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia.¹

SLE remains a challenging disease to manage, with diagnosis often delayed 2 to 6 years. Repeated flares drive cumulative organ damage, and approximately half of patients develop lupus nephritis within 5 years.¹ Current treatment relies heavily on glucocorticoids, antimalarials, and immunosuppressants, with belimumab (Benlysta) and anifrolumab (Saphnelo) representing the only targeted biologic therapies approved for SLE.² The steroid-sparing effect demonstrated in the ALLEGORY trial is clinically relevant, as long-term glucocorticoid use contributes substantially to morbidity in this population.

Obinutuzumab is a humanized, glycoengineered type II anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody that induces direct B-cell death and enhanced antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. It differs mechanistically from rituximab, the most widely used anti-CD20 agent off-label in lupus, which failed to meet primary endpoints in prior randomized SLE trials.³ Whether obinutuzumab's glycoengineered properties account for superior B-cell depletion and the positive results observed in ALLEGORY warrants further investigation.

The ALLEGORY trial's 52-week primary endpoint provides a limited window for evaluating a chronic disease. Long-term durability data from the open-label extension period will be important. Detailed subgroup analyses, including outcomes by race and ethnicity, populations disproportionately affected by SLE, have not yet been fully reported. The ALLEGORY data have also been submitted to the European Medicines Agency for review.¹ Results were published in the 

 in March 2026 and presented at SLEuro 2026.¹

Genentech. FDA accepts application for Genentech's Gazyva for the treatment of the most common form of lupus. Press release. April 20, 2026. Accessed April 21, 2026. 

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260420770652/en/CORRECTING-and-REPLACING-FDA-Accepts-Application-for-Genentechs-Gazyva-for-the-Treatment-of-the-Most-Common-Form-of-Lupus

Fanouriakis A, Kostopoulou M, Andersen J, et al. EULAR recommendations for the management of systemic lupus erythematosus: 2023 update. 

Rovin BH, Furie R, Latinis K, et al; LUNAR Investigator Group. Efficacy and safety of rituximab in patients with active proliferative lupus nephritis: the Lupus Nephritis Assessment with Rituximab study. 

Articles

Genentech’s sBLA for obinutuzumab in systemic lupus erythematosus has been accepted by the FDA, with a December 2026 action date. In the phase 3 ALLEGORY trial (~300 adults on standard therapy), adding obinutuzumab significantly improved SRI-4 responses at week 52 versus placebo and achieved superiority across key secondary endpoints, including BICLA response and sustained glucocorticoid tapering. Remission (DORIS) and LLDAS rates more than doubled, and flare risk was reduced. Safety aligned with the established anti-CD20 profile.

The FDA accepted Genentech's sBLA for obinutuzumab in SLE based on positive phase 3 ALLEGORY trial results, with a decision expected by December 2026.

News

news page, resources on the topics of disease- and specialty-specific medical news and expert insight can be found. Content includes articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, and breaking news on health care research, treatment, and drug development.

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FDA News

FDA Accepts sBLA for Obinutuzumab (Gazyva) in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Martina J. Porter, MD, is a dermatologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Shifting Treatment Goals and Povorcitinib's Benefit in HS, With Martina Porter, MD

The 54-week STOP-HS data for povorcitinib in moderate-to-severe

 (HS) showed not only deepening inflammatory response but also broad and sustained improvements across patient-reported outcomes.

2026 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting

 held in Denver, Colorado, from March 27-31, by Martina L. Porter, MD, of Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. 

spoke with Porter about the STOP-HS1 (NCT05620823) and STOP-HS2 (NCT05620836) trials, identically designed global phase 3 trials with a combined enrollment of 1,227 adults with moderate-to-severe HS, randomized 1:1:1 to povorcitinib 75 mg once daily, 45 mg once daily, or placebo for 12 weeks, followed by a 42-week blinded extension through week 54. Mean disease duration was 10.3 years (SD, 9.4), mean AN count was 12.0 (SD, 8.8), and 75.5% had at least 1 draining tunnel at baseline.

At week 12, HiSCR50 was achieved by 40.2% (45 mg) and 40.6% (75 mg) of patients versus 29.7% for placebo in STOP-HS1 (

 <.025), and by 42.3% in both dose arms versus 28.6% for placebo in STOP-HS2 (

 <.01). Responses deepened substantially through week 54, with HiSCR50 rates of 60.2% to 61.9% in STOP-HS1 and 57.3% to 67.5% in STOP-HS2 in patients on continuous povorcitinib. Up to 29.0% of patients achieved HiSCR100 at week 54, and complete clearance of all inflammatory lesions was documented in 16.1% to 20.2% of patients across both studies.

The patient-reported outcome battery at week 54 included skin pain assessed by numerical rating scale, the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), the HS-specific quality-of-life instrument HiSQoL, and the FACIT-F fatigue scale — the last of which Porter noted is more commonly deployed in rheumatologic trials but is highly applicable to HS given the significant systemic burden of the disease. Rather than reporting aggregate total scores, the analysis focused on the proportion of patients achieving validated thresholds for clinically meaningful improvement on each measure. Across the 4 instruments, between approximately one-third and two-thirds of patients achieved these thresholds: ≥3-point decreases in skin pain NRS were reached by 40.5% to 58.0% of eligible patients, ≥4-point improvements in FACIT-F by 40.5% to 49.0%, ≥4-point decreases in DLQI by 59.4% to 64.7%, and ≥21-point decreases in HiSQoL total score by 33.7% to 40.2%. Porter emphasized that these measures continued to improve across the full 54-week observation period, consistent with the inflammatory response trajectory.

She offered important context for interpreting these gains relative to other dermatologic diseases. In psoriasis or atopic dermatitis, achieving PASI 100 or EASI 100 means skin can return to a visually normal state. In HS, the inflammatory targets — abscesses, nodules, and draining tunnels — can respond to therapy while patients remain left with significant residual scarring and hyperpigmentation, particularly in darker skin tones, which are disproportionately represented in the HS patient population. This means that even when inflammatory control is achieved, quality-of-life measures may not reach zero, and clinicians should counsel patients accordingly: the goal of anti-inflammatory therapy is halting progression and eliminating drainage, not reversing structural damage already present. Porter characterized this counseling as central to appropriate patient expectations — that freedom from drainage, the ability to wear clothing, travel, work, and exercise without fear of a flare represents meaningful therapeutic success even when discoloration and scarring persist.

On treatment positioning, Porter described povorcitinib's potential role as potentially first-line pending FDA approval, with efficacy in the biologic-experienced population — 37.2% of trial participants, a higher proportion than in prior phase 3 HS programs — providing reassurance for a treatment landscape where many patients will arrive having already failed a TNF-α or IL-17 inhibitor. She also described emerging clinical phenotype patterns from her practice that she presented independently of the STOP-HS data: patients with very severe disease predominantly affecting the groin and buttocks with extensive tunneling, as well as patients with high nodule burden but relatively few draining tunnels, both appear to achieve particularly high clearance rates on JAK inhibitors in her clinical experience. She framed these as observational signals that warrant prospective investigation and may ultimately guide which patients are directed toward JAK inhibition versus biologics as initial therapy — a precision-medicine framework the field has not yet been able to operationalize systematically

Safety through week 54 was consistent with the known JAK1 inhibitor class profile, with acne (16.4%–21.1%), nasopharyngitis (9.4%–13.6%), and upper respiratory tract infection (9.1%–12.2%) as the most common treatment-emergent adverse events. Serious treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in 3.7% to 6.4% of patients across arms; no malignancies excluding non-melanoma skin cancer were reported and MACE was observed in 1 patient (0.3%) in STOP-HS2.

“In the ideal dream world down the line is that what we really want to know for all these medications, because we're not looking at 90% of patients get 90% better. You know, we really need some markers, whether they're blood markers or clinical markers or demographic features, that help us really determine,” Porter said.

Relevant disclosures for Porter include Abbvie, Bristol Myers Squibb, Janssen, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB, Trifecta Clinical, Incyte, and Anaptys Bio.

Porter ML, et al. Povorcitinib in moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa: 54-week results from the phase 3 STOP-HS1 and STOP-HS2 trials. Presented at: AAD Annual Meeting; Denver, Colorado; March 27-31, 2026.

Porter ML, et al. Povorcitinib efficacy in biologic-experienced patients with moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa: subgroup analysis from STOP-HS1 and STOP-HS2. Presented at: AAD Annual Meeting; Denver, Colorado; March 27-31, 2026.

Videos

54-week STOP-HS data show clinically meaningful improvements in pain, fatigue, and quality of life in one-third to two-thirds of patients.


Conference

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

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.

Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Hidradenitis Suppurativa 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 dermatology research, treatment, and drug development.

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

A White House executive order issued April 18, 2026, directs federal agencies to accelerate psychedelic research for 

. Signed by President Donald Trump, the order outlines steps for prioritizing review of psychedelic compounds, facilitating access under the Right to Try framework, and supporting collaborative research efforts involving federal agencies, academic centers, and the private sector.

The policy calls on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue National Priority Vouchers for eligible psychedelic therapies with Breakthrough Therapy designation and instructs the Drug Enforcement Administration to help establish pathways for clinician and researcher access to Schedule I investigational agents. It also allocates ≥ $50 million through federal collaboration to support research programs and directs interagency data-sharing efforts, including coordination with the Department of Veterans Affairs, to expand clinical trial participation and real-world evidence generation. Additional provisions address expedited review and potential rescheduling of products containing Schedule I substances after successful phase 3 trials.

 spoke with Gus Alva, MD, psychiatrist and medical director of ATP Clinical Research, to assess the scientific rationale, emerging evidence, and clinical considerations surrounding psychedelic therapies. Alva highlighted proposed mechanisms centered on 5-HT2A receptor activation and downstream neuroplastic effects.

“What's novel about psychedelics is that…they're basically opening a window of heightened neuroplasticity,” Alva said. “The reason that this is important is that this might actually help out with creating new associations, new internal models, and thus the brain becoming more responsive to things that are salubrious to it.”

According to Alva, several hypotheses may help explain reported rapid onset and durability signals, including increases in dendritic spine density within the prefrontal cortex and modulation of the default mode network. He noted that these changes may reduce rigid self-referential processing associated with rumination in depressive disorders.

He also referenced the relaxed beliefs under the psychedelics (REBUS) model, which proposes that altered hierarchical processing may allow updating of maladaptive internal models. Despite these theoretical frameworks, Alva emphasized that unanswered questions remain and that cautious interpretation of early findings is warranted.

He described the current evidence base as promising but heterogeneous. Randomized trials of psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), including studies in 

, have shown meaningful symptom reductions several weeks after dosing versus active comparators. Phase 3 trials of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD have also reported reductions in Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale scores with signals of durability.

However, he noted key limitations in interpretation, including difficulty maintaining blinding due to noticeable psychoactive effects and challenges separating drug effects from the structured psychotherapy embedded in treatment protocols. He also highlighted safety concerns, including potential cardiotoxicity associated with ibogaine and its evaluation in highly selected cohorts. He said these factors underscore the need for rigorous study designs, standardized safety monitoring, and longer-term follow-up.

Alva noted that the executive order’s emphasis on accelerating research and collaboration may expand trial participation and evidence generation. He added that clinicians should monitor evolving regulatory and clinical developments while maintaining focus on patient safety, infrastructure requirements, and therapist training as psychedelic therapies continue to be evaluated.

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/

Following an April 18 executive order, Gus Alva, MD, discusses psychedelic mechanisms, evidence, and clinical considerations for psychiatry.

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

Phillip Levy is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and Assistant Professor of Physiology at Wayne State University and the Assistant Vice President for Research at Wayne State University Department of Emergency Medicine.

Mobile Health Units Aim to Close Gaps in CKD Screening Access

Mobile health unit–based screening programs are emerging as a strategy to address gaps in 

 detection, particularly among populations without the access to routinely engage with traditional healthcare systems.

In Detroit, Michigan, investigators developed a community-based screening model aimed at reaching individuals at elevated risk for cardiometabolic disease who may not otherwise access preventive care. The population-wide screening program, found 11-13% had CKD ≥ stage 3, double the US population’s 6% reported national average.

“We provide care in a community that suffers disproportionately from early onset of things like heart disease and kidney disease and strokes secondary to poorly controlled risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes, hyperlipidemia,” study investigator, Phillip Levy, an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and Assistant Professor of Physiology at Wayne State University and the Assistant Vice President for Research at Wayne State University Department of Emergency Medicine, shared in an interview with 

 “There are high rates of smoking and obesity as well in the community, low rates of physical activity, socioeconomic challenges, and environmental exposures, all of which create outsized risk for the population we serve.”

Addressing Gaps in Preventive Care Access

The initiative reflects a broader shift in care delivery, informed in part by frontline experience treating advanced disease in acute care settings. Rather than continuing to intervene at late stages, the program was designed to move upstream and engage individuals earlier, particularly those who do not routinely seek care in traditional settings such as emergency departments or outpatient clinics.

To guide deployment, investigators developed geospatial analysis tools to identify high-risk communities using county-, ZIP code–, and census tract–level data, incorporating both clinical and social risk factors.

From Pandemic Response to Community-Based Screening

The model expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, when mobile units were initially deployed for community-based testing. High levels of engagement, particularly willingness among community members to undergo blood-based testing, highlighted an opportunity to broaden screening beyond infectious disease.

In response, the program incorporated additional testing for hemoglobin A1c, kidney function, and lipid levels, using the point of community engagement to identify cardiometabolic risk earlier.

This evolution led to the development of a “portable population health” model, which integrates blood pressure screening using gold-standard triplicate protocols, laboratory testing, social determinants of health assessments, and coordinated linkage to follow-up care through community health workers.

Shifting Toward Population-Based Screening Models

Findings from the initiative support a broader reconsideration of how preventive screening is delivered, particularly in high-risk communities where clinic-based models may be insufficient.

“What we’re really striving toward… is the idea that prevention should be community-based, not office-based,” the investigator said. “Prevention screenings shouldn’t require a doctor to say that person needs to be screened for kidney disease, because we all need to be screened.”

The model emphasizes bringing screening directly to communities, reducing reliance on patient-initiated engagement with the healthcare system and addressing barriers such as transportation, time constraints, and competing life demands—even among insured populations.

Barriers to Scaling Community-Based Models

Levy noted that scaling this approach will require rethinking how care is delivered and reimbursed. Current healthcare models are largely structured around clinic-based services and physician-led encounters, which may not align with community-based, team-driven prevention strategies.

Expanding reimbursement pathways for services delivered in nontraditional settings, as well as supporting team-based care models, may be critical to broader adoption.

Editor’s Note: Levy report relevant disclosures with Cielo Foundation.

Brook RD, Korzeniewski SJ, Foster B, et al. Screening for Chronic Kidney Disease by Mobile Health Unit Outreach. JAMA Network Open. 2026;9(3):e262312. doi:

https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.2312

This City’s CKD Stage ≥ 3 Incidence is Double The US National Average. HCPLive. Published 2026. Accessed April 20, 2026. 

https://www.hcplive.com/view/city-ckd-stage-3-incidence-double-us-national-average

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

Nancy Reau, MD, is Professor of Internal Medicine, Richard B. Capps Chair of Hepatology, Associate Director of Solid Organ Transplantation, and Section Chief of Hepatology at Rush University Medical Center.

Kimberly Brown, MD, is division chief of gastroenterology and hepatology and the Associate Medical Director of the Henry Ford Hospital Transplant Institute at Henry Ford Hospital. She is also a Professor of Medicine at Wayne State University

Meena Bansal, MD, is director of the MASLD/MASH (NAFLD/NASH) Center of Excellence at Mount Sinai and System Chief, Division of Liver Diseases for the Mount Sinai Health System.

Are We Screening Women for MASLD Often Enough?

metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)

 continues to rise, clinicians are increasingly questioning whether current screening approaches fully capture risk in women. While existing guidelines identify key metabolic risk factors, concerns exist regarding their ability to adequately account for the physiologic changes women experience across the lifespan, particularly during transitions like menopause and pregnancy that significantly influence disease progression.

Current MASLD screening guidelines effectively identify at-risk populations but may not fully account for sex-specific risk across a woman’s lifespan.

The interval of monitoring is important, especially during high-risk transitions such as menopause, when fibrosis progression may accelerate.

Women with metabolic risk factors and early fibrosis may benefit from more frequent noninvasive assessments rather than standard multi-year follow-up.

PCOS screening and recognition should be part of risk assessment in younger women, given its link to insulin resistance and MASLD.

Greater engagement of OB/GYN providers is needed, as they often serve as primary care providers and are well-positioned to identify at-risk patients.

Patient empowerment is essential, including encouraging women to understand their risk, calculate FIB-4 scores, and advocate for further evaluation when steatosis is identified.

Liver Lineup: Updates and Unfiltered Insights

, Meena Bansal, MD, joins Nancy Reau, MD, and Kimberly Brown, MD, to examine a critical but often overlooked question in hepatology: should screening strategies for MASLD differ for women?

The discussion begins with Brown raising the possibility that while current guidelines effectively identify at-risk populations like individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance, or metabolic syndrome, they may not fully account for key transitions in a woman’s life. Bansal agrees that existing frameworks are generally sound but emphasizes that timing and frequency of screening are where clinicians may need to adapt their approach.

Rather than redefining who should be screened, Bansal highlights the importance of adjusting monitoring intervals during periods of increased risk, particularly around menopause. As hormonal changes accelerate metabolic dysfunction and fibrosis progression, she suggests that women in this transition, especially those with additional risk factors like diabetes or early fibrosis, may benefit from more frequent noninvasive assessments. Tools such as vibration-controlled transient elastography or serum-based biomarkers can help identify disease progression earlier, creating an opportunity for timely intervention.

Reau reinforces this point with clinical experience, noting that some patients previously considered low risk can return years later with advanced disease, often after significant metabolic changes and menopause, underscoring the need for greater vigilance during these inflection points.

Beyond hepatology, the conversation further expands to the role of multidisciplinary care. Bansal stresses the importance of engaging obstetricians and gynecologists, who often serve as primary care providers for many women. While awareness is growing, she notes that more education is needed to ensure these clinicians incorporate liver disease screening into routine care for at-risk patients. This includes using simple tools like the FIB-4 index as an initial step, followed by additional testing when indicated.

The group also highlights the importance of patient empowerment. Women are frequently told that “fatty liver” is benign, which may delay further evaluation. Encouraging patients to understand their risk factors, calculate their own FIB-4 scores, and advocate for follow-up care can play a meaningful role in earlier detection.

Editors’ note: Relevant disclosures for 

 include AbbVie, Gilead, Salix, Arbutus, and VIR. Relevant disclosures for 

 include Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Gilead, Salix, Intercept, Ipsen, and Madrigal. Relevant disclosures for 

 include Boeheringer-Ingelheim, Boston Pharma, Fibronostics, GSK, Madrigal, Merck, NOVO Nordisk, and The Kinetix Group.

DiStefano JK. NAFLD and NASH in Postmenopausal Women: Implications for Diagnosis and Treatment. Endocrinology. 2020;161(10):bqaa134. doi:10.1210/endocr/bqaa134

Sarkar M, Kushner T. Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and pregnancy. J Clin Invest. 2025;135(10):e186426. Published 2025 May 15. doi:10.1172/JCI186426

Mass General Brigham. Patients Who Discontinued GLP-1s Had More Weight Gain, Complications During Pregnancy. November 24, 2025. Accessed April 20, 2026. 

https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en/about/newsroom/press-releases/pregnancy-effects-from-discontinued-glp-1-use

Experts call for greater awareness, improved collaboration with OB/GYNs, and more proactive MASLD screening strategies for women.

Hepatology

MASH / MASLD

The HCPLive MASH & MASLD page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and steatohepatitis. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for fatty liver disease, steatohepatitis, and more.

Screening Smarter: Identifying MASLD Risk in Women

Marie-José van Tol, PhD, from the University of Groningen.

Preventive cognitive therapy may reduce relapse in recurrent depression by strengthening positive affect and addressing anhedonia, van Tol explained.


Targeting Positive Affect May Prevent Depression Relapse, With Marie-José van Tol, PhD

Tim Smith joined the MJH Life Sciences team in 2022 and is currently an associate editor for HCPLive. He is also the executive producer of two podcasts: Skin of Color Savvy and The Medical Sisterhood. Previously, he was the producer of the Lungcast podcast. He graduated from UC Berkeley and worked in multimedia journalism as a staff writer prior to joining MJH. You can contact him at tsmith@mjhlifesciences.com.

Phase 2b data from the 16-week extension of REZOLVE-AA suggest rezpegaldesleukin leads to continued hair regrowth through 52 weeks.

Alopecia

REZOLVE-AA: 52-Week Data Highlight Positive Alopecia Areata Outcomes with Rezpegaldesleukin

Maria Hordinsky, MD, is an R.W. Goltz Professor of the Department of Dermatology at the University of Minnesota.

This interview highlights positive 12-month phase 3 results on clascoterone 5% topical solution for mild-to-moderate androgenetic alopecia, or hair loss.

Sustained 1-Year Efficacy Seen with Clascoterone for Androgenetic Alopecia, With Maria Hordinsky, MD

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.

Phase 3 MIRANDA found tozorakimab reduced COPD exacerbations in former smokers despite inhaled maintenance therapy.

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.

Phase 3 MIRANDA Trial Links Tozorakimab to Fewer COPD Exacerbations

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.

Etavopivat reduced VOC events by 27% and improved hemoglobin response in the phase 3 HIBISCUS trial in sickle cell disease.

Hematology

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.

Phase 3 HIBISCUS: Etavopivat Cuts VOC Events, Improves Hemoglobin in SCD

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

In the final episode, "Integrating Comparative Evidence to Optimize Psoriasis Treatment Decisions," the panelists explore how the full body of available evidence, including comparative analyses, long term extension studies, real world data, and clinical experience, can be integrated into practical treatment decision making for plaque psoriasis.

Video Series

Integrating Comparative Evidence to Optimize Psoriasis Treatment Decisions

Dominic Sisti, PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Medical Ethics & Health Policy and the director of the Scattergood Program for the Applied Ethics of Behavioral Health Care. Sisti is also the host of 

, our monthly multimedia series on medical ethics in modern healthcare. 

Aliza Narva, JD, discusses how clinical ethics consultation works in practice, from bedside dilemmas to mediation-based approaches and clinician support.

Podcasts

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

Medical Ethics Unpacked

Medical Ethics Unpacked is a regular multimedia series hosted by Dominic Sisti, PhD, and Steve Levine, MD, spotlighting a spectrum of topics within the field of medical ethics. Throughout the year, hosts will sit down for an in-depth discussion on a specific ethical dilemma within modern healthcare, with some episodes also featuring a special guest. 

Check back throughout the year for discussions on a variety of topics, including data privacy in health apps, euthanasia and medical assistance in dying, reproductive rights and technologies, and more!

Medical Ethics Unpacked: Clinical Ethics Consultation in Practice

In this episode, "Evaluating IL-23 Inhibitors with Long-Term Data and Real-World Evidence," the expert dermatologists explore the distinct but complementary roles of long term extension studies and real world evidence in evaluating the durability and safety of biologic therapies for plaque psoriasis.

Evaluating IL-23 Inhibitors with Long-Term Data and Real-World Evidence

Roy Beck, MD, PhD, is the founder of the Jaeb Center for Health Research.

Beck discusses the recently presented results of INHALE-1, in which technosphere insulin failed to prove noninferiority to RAA but had no pulmonary effects.

Endocrinology

The HCPLive endocrinology page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on endocrine system conditions. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for diabetes, hormonal disease, and more.

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 2 Diabetes

INHALE-1: Afrezza Safe but Not Superior to Rapid-Acting Analogue in Children, With Roy Beck, MD, PhD

Howard Trachtman, MD, is an adjunct clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of Michigan.

Listen to our conversation with Trachtman about sparsentan's recent FDA approval for FSGS.

Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis

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

Latest News

FDA Accepts sBLA for Obinutuzumab (Gazyva) in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Shifting Treatment Goals and Povorcitinib's Benefit in HS, With Martina Porter, MD

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

Mobile Health Units Aim to Close Gaps in CKD Screening Access

Screening Smarter: Identifying MASLD Risk in Women