2026 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting

 in Denver, April W. Armstrong, MD, MPH, of UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine, gave the 

 team a comprehensive look at the evolving role of interleukin (IL)-23 inhibition in the management of 

The interview followed her session, ‘IL-23 Innovation: New Data Addressing Plaque Psoriasis.’

 Given the emergence of the IL-23 pathway as a central therapeutic target in recent years, Armstrong touched on the mechanistic rationale behind the pathway’s growing prominence and its role as a key regulator in inflammatory pathways driving not only psoriasis but also related comorbidities such as inflammatory bowel disease.

The following Q&A summary highlights Armstrong’s responses to questions about her session:

The IL-23 pathway has become a central target in psoriasis over the past few years. How would you characterize what makes IL-23 inhibition mechanistically different, and why has it emerged as a therapeutic target?

There are a few things to consider about IL-23 inhibition. We know that IL-23 inhibition is really central in terms of being this master regulator for diseases such as plaque psoriasis. We actually also know it's really important for conditions such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, oftentimes comorbidities that are important to our dermatology patients who may have inflammatory skin diseases and have an increased risk of those other conditions. Now, when we're thinking about IL-23, why it's important is that it's very key in terms of making sure that in the process of naive T-cell differentiation, these T cells are differentiated into certain types of cells, such as Th17 cells and so forth.

Because of that, it has a tremendous influence in terms of the pathological states, with regard to potentially directing some of the inappropriately elevated levels of differentiation into Th17 cells that can be pathologic in states such as psoriasis. Now, when we have therapies that target the IL-23 pathway, for example, it can be very specifically targeting that of of diseases that are affected by this, namely psoriasis in this case. Also, what we see is that for therapies that are particularly targeting IL-23, oftentimes, there are very high rates of complete and near-complete skin response with some of the biologics that we've had for a long period of time. One of the distinct advantages of IL-23 modulation or inhibition in psoriasis is that it can get that durable response with extended dosing intervals.

Typically, we're thinking about dosing intervals of every 2 months or every 3 months with our injectable biologics. Now, we do have another class, which is IL-17 inhibitors in psoriasis, that are also extremely highly effective. With the newer IL-17 inhibitors, the dosing intervals are getting closer to those of the IL-23 inhibitors. Getting back to IL-23 inhibition, what we see is that a quite distinctive advantage is the favorable long-term safety profile. What we are seeing is that with patients who have been on IL-23 inhibitors for a while, for example, we have now over 6 or 7 years of long-term extension data. What we see is that it continues to be very safe in our patients who've been taking it for a long period of time, and we don't see signals with regard to serious infections or cancer in those patients who have taken it for a very long time.

We know your session also touches on unmet needs across patient populations. Which patient profiles or clinical scenarios still represent the biggest gaps in the management of psoriasis?

We have come a long way in terms of managing our patients who have psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, and caring for them has really been a pleasure as a dermatologist, along with our rheumatology colleagues, for the past two decades now. That being said, we also still have a number of areas where we have unmet needs. Number one is thinking about patients who may have limited body surface area involvement, but high-impact site involvement, for example, the treatment of patients with palmoplanter diseases. That's still one area that we are trying to figure out how to better manage that particular disease phenotype. We know that patients with palmoplantar psoriasis have one of the most difficult-to-treat phenotypes, and that is something that we're consistently trying to work on. This includes not only the hyperkeratotic type of palmoplantar psoriasis, but also palmoplantar pustulosis.

Another area is thinking about managing comorbidities in our patients with psoriasis. Namely, looking at obesity a little bit closer. We know that many patients with psoriasis, epidemiologically, there are higher rates of obesity in patients with psoriasis, and newer and newer data show that managing their obesity and getting patients to decrease their weight when they are in the obese category can not only improve their cardiovascular health. That intervention may actually have an independent effect, a positive effect, in terms of reducing their psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis disease activity. This is really interesting data. It's newer data, and something that we as a field are continuing to try to understand.

Then finally, we may have patients who have severe psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis and who also have various complex comorbidities, and we’re thinking about how to care for those patients and ensure that the therapies that we have for them can potentially address these other comorbidities. But also, even if we have a therapy that's specifically for psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, in the context of the other complex comorbidities, how can we make sure that these patients are safely managed by our pharmacological or other interventions?

 Speaking of interventions, there's a growing number of IL-23 inhibitors now available. How are you thinking about selection and differentiation within your own practice?

We have a number of different IL-23 inhibitors that are available. We have the biologics…and we have a newly-approved IL-23 receptor inhibitor. That's an oral peptide, and that's icotrokinra. So, now we have oral therapies for targeting the IL-23 pathway in patients with plaque psoriasis, as well as biologics. Having all these different options, I think, is really great for our patients, because even within the IL-23 class, we have known from the real-world studies that sometimes failing one IL-23 therapy doesn't necessarily mean that they will fail another IL-23 therapy.

A few things when we're considering these different medications: For example, for patients who have moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, when our dermatologists and dermatology and NPs and PAs are thinking oral therapies could benefit that patient population in terms of targeting the il 23 pathway, we can now, we now have FDA-approved therapy for that, and can consider icotrkinra. When we are looking at icotrokinra, the efficacy rates are at the level of biologics. So that's very exciting and really great news for our patients who especially those who have been wanting an oral therapy for a long time.

When we're looking at our patients who may benefit more potentially in terms of biologic therapies, we have tildrakizumab, which I think is really wonderful for patients who have, for example, Medicare coverage. This is because this tildrakizumab is the only medication within the IL-23 class that's covered under Medicare Part B benefits. So for our patients who are our Medicare age, who may not have good supplemental coverage, for example, that's definitely a good choice. Then we also have, for example, guselkumab and risankizumab, which I think as a field we have known for a very long time to have high efficacy in treating our patients with plaque psoriasis. Also, [they have] very good safety data as well. I think those continue to be excellent choices for patients.

The quotes used in this summary were edited for clarity.

Armstrong has served as a consultant for and received honoraria from AbbVie, Almirall, Arcutis, ASLAN, Beiersdorf, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Dermavant, Dermira, EPI, Incyte, Janssen, LEO Pharma, Eli Lilly, Nimbus, Novartis, Ortho Dermatologics, Pfizer, Regeneron, Sanofi, Sun, and UCB and has participated in advisory boards for Boehringer Ingelheim and Parexel.

Armstrong A, Strober B, Hawkes J, et al. INC01 IL-23 Innovation: New Data Addressing Plaque Psoriasis. Session presented at: 2026 American Academy of Dermatology Annual Meeting; March 27–31, 2026; Denver, CO.

Campbell P. Icotrokinra, an Oral Il-23 Inhibitor, Receives FDA Approval for Psoriasis. March 18, 2026. Accessed April 16, 2026. 

https://www.hcplive.com/view/icotrokinra-receives-fda-approval-for-psoriasis

Articles

IL-23 has solidified its role as a master upstream regulator in plaque psoriasis pathobiology by shaping naïve T-cell differentiation toward Th17-mediated inflammation, with relevance to comorbid immune diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. IL-23 inhibition delivers high rates of complete/near-complete clearance with durable control enabled by extended dosing intervals and a favorable long-term safety record, including multi-year extension data without emergent serious infection or malignancy signals. Ongoing gaps include palmoplantar phenotypes, obesity-linked disease modulation, and treatment selection amid complex comorbidities.

Armstrong highlights several major takeaways from her portion of the AAD 2026 session titled 'IL-23 Innovation: New Data Addressing Plaque Psoriasis.'

News

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Conference

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

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.

Highlighting Key IL-23 Innovations in Dermatology, With April W. Armstrong, MD, MPH

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

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

An episode focused on availability of orforglipron (Foundayo) in the United States.

Diabetes Dialogue: Orforglipron (Foundayo) Availability Marks Historic Shift for GLP-1 Access

In a therapeutic pipeline burgeoning with historic breakthrough after historic breakthrough in recent years, the 

 approval and announcement of availability for orforglipron (Fondayo) in April 2026 could set itself apart as a marked turning point in the fight against 

, Eli Lilly and Company announced availability of their oral GLP-1 receptor agonist, which carries no food or water restrictions, and a partnership with Amazon Pharmacy offering same-day delivery. This marks a major shift in accessibility for a therapeutic class where, less than 2 years ago, many GLP-1-based agents, including Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound) were on the FDA drug shortage list.

Diabetes Dialogue: Technology, Therapeutics, and Real-World Perspectives

, Diana Isaacs, PharmD, and Natalie Bellini, DNP, provide a clinically grounded overview of the agent’s launch and early implications for care delivery.

The discussion highlights a key nuance in its development: the marketed tablet doses (ranging from 0.8 mg to 17.2 mg) are “dose-equivalent” to capsule-based doses studied in the 

, reflecting a bridging strategy designed to enable scalable manufacturing while maintaining pharmacokinetic consistency.

Access considerations are central to the episode’s conversation. Pricing information released by Eli Lilly and Company details a cap on out-of-pocket costs at $299 per month for higher doses, with lower introductory dosing tiers priced below this threshold and broad distribution, including through platforms such as Amazon Pharmacy, positioning the therapy as one of the most accessible options in the GLP-1 class to date. The hosts note this evolving landscape may further accelerate already substantial uptake, with an estimated 1 in 8 adults having tried a GLP-1–based therapy.

Beyond obesity and type 2 diabetes, the episode explores emerging interest in extending GLP-1–based therapies into type 1 diabetes populations. Citing recent real-world analyses leveraging large electronic health record datasets, Isaacs and Bellini describe signals suggesting potential reductions in major adverse cardiovascular events and kidney outcomes among individuals with type 1 diabetes using GLP-1 receptor agonists, without clear increases in severe hypoglycemia or diabetic ketoacidosis.

Editor’s Note: Isaacs reports disclosures with Dexcom, Abbott, Lilly, Novo Nordisk, Medtronic, Insulet, and others. Bellini reports disclosures with Abbott Diabetes Care, MannKind, Povention Bio, and others.

Eli Lilly and Company. FDA approves Lilly's Foundayo™ (orforglipron), the only GLP-1 pill for weight loss that can be taken any time of day without food or water restrictions/ April 1, 2026. Accessed April 1, 2026. 

https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/fda-approves-lillys-foundayotm-orforglipron-only-glp-1-pill

 (orforglipron), Lilly’s new oral GLP-1 pill for weight loss, now available in the U.S. | Eli Lilly and Company. Eli Lilly and Company. Published April 9, 2026. Accessed April 16, 2026. 

https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/foundayotm-orforglipron-lillys-new-oral-glp-1-pill-weight-loss

Amazon News. Amazon Pharmacy to Offer Eli Lilly and Company’s New GLP-1 Pill Foundayo via Same-Day Delivery. US Press Center. Published April 9, 2026. Accessed April 16, 2026. 

https://press.aboutamazon.com/2026/4/amazon-pharmacy-to-offer-eli-lilly-and-companys-new-glp-1-pill-foundayo-via-same-day-delivery

FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). FDA clarifies policies for compounders as national GLP-1 supply begins to stabilize. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Published April 1, 2026. Accessed April 16, 2026. 

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-alerts-and-statements/fda-clarifies-policies-compounders-national-glp-1-supply-begins-stabilize

KFF. Poll: 1 in 8 Adults Say They Are Currently Taking a GLP-1 Drug for Weight Loss, Diabetes or Another Condition, Even as Half Say the Drugs Are Difficult to Afford | KFF. KFF. Published November 14, 2025. Accessed April 16, 2026. 

https://www.kff.org/public-opinion/poll-1-in-8-adults-say-they-are-currently-taking-a-glp-1-drug-for-weight-loss-diabetes-or-another-condition-even-as-half-say-the-drugs-are-difficult-to-afford/

Podcasts

This episode explores the launch and accessibility of FDA-approved oral GLP-1 orforglipron, including availability through Amazon Pharmacy's same-day delivery service.

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.

FDA News

Diabetes Dialogue

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

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

Diabetes Dialogue: Orforglipron Availability, Amazon Pharmacy, and Dosing Considerations

Vaiibhav Patel, MD, is a cardiologist at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

The Current Diagnostic and Treatment Landscape of Cardiac Sarcoidosis, With Vaiibhav Patel, MD

Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) is among the hardest cardiovascular diseases to diagnose, primarily because it shares the majority of its symptoms with a long list of other conditions. Common presentations include high-grade conduction disease, left ventricular dysfunction, or ventricular arrhythmias.

“Sarcoidosis can present very clinically silently through just imaging findings, and it could present with patients coming in really sick, with ventricular arrhythmias and potentially even cardiogenic shock,” Vaiibhav Patel, MD, a cardiologist at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, told 

 in an exclusive interview. “There are a lot of different cardiac diseases that can present that way, so I think it’s the job of the clinician to try to rule out everything else before you come to a diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis.”


Current clinical guidelines recommend diagnosis through a combination of multimodality imaging and multidisciplinary collaboration – not as a method of finding indicators of the condition, but to positively rule out alternative diagnoses. CS often presents with systemic involvement, which highlights the need for a thorough organ assessment.

The actual diagnosis process recommended involves a range of devices, including echocardiography, which may demonstrate reduced left ventricle ejection fraction or regional wall aneurysm, and ECG, which may show conduction delay, fragmented QRS complexes, and right or left bundle-branch block. However, the guidelines also warn of patients potentially presenting with normal ECG and normal echocardiography, which prompts the use of cardiac magnetic resonance and fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (PET).

In the event of continued uncertainty, clinicians are advised to proceed to endomyocardial biopsy, polymerase chain reaction, and immunohistochemistry – these procedures are considered the gold standard for sarcoidosis. However, studies have shown that treatment should still be initiated despite a negative biopsy result if abnormalities are detected via other diagnostic methods.

The guidelines state that treatment should be based on a risk-benefit ratio. If the disease is symptomatic, treatment should be initiated in patients with probable or definite CS. Those with possible or low-probability CS generally do not receive treatment given the uncertainty of diagnosis and unclear benefit for treatment. Additionally, given that the primary form of treatment is immunomodulation, the guidelines acknowledge an additional potential for harm.

Corticosteroids are first-line agents initiated at moderate to high doses and tapered according to imaging and clinical responses. Additional immunosuppression is administered in the case of incomplete response or steroid intolerance. Additionally, cardiologic management is recommended to reduce the risk of arrhythmias or heart failure. Patients at high risk may be administered an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), although standard heart failure therapies are also assigned as indicated.

Despite these difficulties, the horizon for CS looks promising. Novel biologics like TNF-a inhibitors are currently in testing for refractory or steroid-resistant disease, targeting inflammatory pathways central to the formation of granuloma. Additionally, new biomarkers like circulating cytokines, imaging metrics, and emerging molecule markers, are allowing for real-time monitoring and therapeutic efficacy. However, the diagnostic challenge still remains at the forefront of the treatment process.

“In the past, we really thought of cardiac sarcoidosis as being a younger person’s disease. But I think the longer I’ve been doing this, the more I’ve been humbled by the fact that anyone can present with cardiac sarcoidosis,” Patel said. “And the caveat is that there are other things that can cause some of these presentations, and we need to rule those out first.”

Editors’ Note: Patel reports disclosures with Revamp Medical.

Cheng RK, Kittleson MM, Beavers CJ, et al. Diagnosis and management of cardiac sarcoidosis: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. 

Kancerek J, Świerczek D, Baron W, Rojek M, Lewandowski P, Wojnicz R. Unmasking Cardiac Sarcoidosis: Integrating Multimodal Imaging with Histochemical and Ultrastructural Analysis. 

. 2026;27(7):2969. Published 2026 Mar 25. 

Videos

Patel provides an inside perspective on one of the most diagnostically challenging cardiovascular conditions.

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...

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.

Liver Lineup: Updates & Unfiltered Insights

Liver Lineup: Closing the Gap in Women’s Liver Health

, hosts Nancy Reau, MD, and Kimberly Brown, MD, are joined by Meena Bansal, MD, to examine how liver disease uniquely affects women across the lifespan. While conditions like 

metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)

 are often discussed in broad terms, the trio highlights how risk, progression, and outcomes can differ significantly based on sex and hormonal status.

From reproductive years through menopause and beyond, physiologic changes play a central role in shaping liver health, but these distinctions have historically been underrecognized in both research and clinical care.

0:00:00 – Welcome & women’s liver health framework

0:03:17 – Menopause, estrogen loss, and fibrosis risk

0:10:57 – PCOS, young women, and high‑risk metabolic phenotypes

0:13:54 – Pregnancy, MASH, and maternal-fetal outcomes

0:18:45 – Screening strategy, menopause as a pivot, and intervals

0:28:03 – Practical toolkit: FIB‑4, second‑line tests, and who to test

0:31:27 – Management, GLP‑1s, resmetirom, and key takeaways

Bansal frames MASLD through the lens of a woman’s life course, emphasizing that risk is not static but evolves from reproductive years through menopause and beyond. While premenopausal women may have some degree of protection against liver disease, this advantage diminishes with the loss of estrogen.

As Bansal explains, the postmenopausal transition is associated with increased visceral adiposity and heightened fibrogenic activity, contributing to a rise in MASLD prevalence and severity that begins to parallel, and in some cases exceed, that seen in men. These physiologic shifts mirror patterns observed in cardiovascular disease and underscore the need for more tailored approaches to screening and monitoring in women.

The discussion also underscores critical gaps in the evidence base, with much of the existing literature historically extrapolating findings from predominantly male populations or failing to account for hormonal status among women. As Brown notes, even when women are included in studies, they are rarely stratified by life stage, limiting the ability to draw meaningful conclusions about disease behavior in specific subgroups such as those with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), during pregnancy, or after menopause.

Pregnancy represents another key inflection point. Women with MASLD face increased risks of adverse maternal outcomes, including gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, as well as potential downstream effects on fetal health. Emerging data suggesting epigenetic influences further reinforce the importance of early identification and management. However, therapeutic decision-making in this population remains challenging, particularly given contraindications for commonly used agents such as GLP-1 receptor agonists during pregnancy and the lack of robust safety data for newer therapies.

Across the discussion, Bansal and the hosts repeatedly emphasize the importance of proactive screening and patient advocacy. Tools such as the FIB-4 index offer accessible, scalable approaches to risk stratification, but clinicians must remain attentive to timing and frequency, particularly during periods of hormonal transition. The group also calls for greater collaboration with obstetrics and gynecology providers, who often serve as primary care touchpoints for women, to improve early detection and intervention.

Ultimately, this episode highlights a critical shift in hepatology: moving beyond a one-size-fits-all model toward a more nuanced understanding of how sex and gender influence liver disease. As Bansal notes, empowering women with knowledge about their risk and encouraging clinicians to recognize these distinctions will be essential to improving outcomes in MASLD and beyond.

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 16, 2026. 

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

Hosts are joined by Meena Bansal, MD, to discuss long-standing research gaps and what clinicians need to understand about sex-specific drivers of liver disease today.

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.

Introducing Liver Lineup: Updates & Unfiltered Insights — an exciting new podcast delivering timely, candid perspectives on the most pressing topics in the fast-moving world of hepatology. Created by Nancy Reau, MD, and Kimberly Brown, MD, and hosted by HCPLive, this series dives into the cutting edge of liver disease research, clinical care, and real-world practice.

Strategic Alliance Partnership

James Murrough, MD, PhD, from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

 Kv7 Channel Modulator Shows Promise for Anhedonia in MDD, With James Murrough, MD

A phase 2 randomized trial evaluating the Kv7 potassium channel opener azetukalner in 

 with anhedonia showed encouraging signals across secondary and exploratory measures, according to findings presented at ADAA 2026. James Murrough, MD, from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 

discussed the results in an interview with 

 highlighting preliminary antidepressant effects and a favorable tolerability profile.

The double-blind, placebo-controlled study enrolled 60 participants with MDD and anhedonia in a current depressive episode. Individuals were randomized 1:1 to receive azetukalner 20 mg once daily or placebo for 8 weeks. The primary endpoint evaluated changes in bilateral ventral striatum activity during a reward-processing task using functional MRI. Secondary outcomes included changes in depressive symptoms and anhedonia measured by the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS).

The trial did not demonstrate a significant difference between groups for the primary neuroimaging endpoint. However, Murrough noted that clinical symptom measures numerically favored azetukalner, and the magnitude of symptom improvement fell between a 2 – 4 difference on the MADRS.

“Although it didn't meet statistical significance, it's in the range that we would expect of drugs that have established antidepressant efficacy, so that was encouraging,” Murrough said.

Additional exploratory endpoints, including multiple assessments of anhedonia and clinician-rated global improvement, also trended in favor of azetukalner.

Safety and tolerability findings were favorable overall. Known class-related adverse effects associated with antiseizure medications were observed, including sedation, confusion, and occasional perceptual disturbances such as visual illusions. These events were generally transient, occurred primarily at night when dosing occurred, and did not typically lead to discontinuation. He noted that the cognitive or perceptual changes, although not severe enough to lead to discontinuation, need to be monitored in future trials.

Murrough emphasized that while the results remain preliminary, they contribute to growing interest in targeting reward circuitry and anhedonia in depression. Future research will focus on larger trials to clarify efficacy and further characterize safety.

“Our data from this trial encourages the further pursuit of this target, but we can't say a lot more beyond that,” Murough said. “We need more research.”

A relevant disclosure for Murrough includes Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC

Part 1 of the interview with Murrough can be watched here: 

Kv7 Channel Modulator Azetukalner May Improve Anhedonia, With James Murrough, MD, PhD

Fremont R, Neukam P, Govindarajulu U, et al. A Randomized, Controlled Trial Of The Novel Kv7 Channel Opener Azetukalner In Individuals With Major Depressive Disorder And Anhedonia. Poster presented at the 2026 Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) 2026 meeting in Chicago from April 9 – 11.

Murrough discusses ADAA 2026 findings evaluating azetukalner in MDD with anhedonia; exploratory outcomes suggest potential benefit despite nonsignificant primary endpoints.

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.

Kv7 Channel Modulator Shows Promise for Anhedonia in MDD, With James Murrough, MD

Hanna, MD, shares results from reni-cel, a one-time gene editing therapy for patients with 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.

Can Gene Editing Be A 'Functional Cure' For Sickle Cell Disease?

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

Nambudiri discusses the AAD Clinical Image Collection, launched in January 2025 to address the lack of diverse representation in dermatology education.


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.

How the AAD Clinical Image Collection Can Help Dermatologists, With Vinod Nambudiri, MD, MBA, MPH

Abigail Brooks is an assistant managing editor for 

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

Experts discuss diagnostic challenges, variable presentations, and strategies to improve outcomes in Wilson disease.

From Diagnosis to Management: Addressing Gaps in Wilson Disease Care

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.

Results from the largest and longest trial of orforglipron to date have displayed the drug’s efficacy in reducing all-cause cardiovascular death and MACE incidence.

Breaking News

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 2 Diabetes

ACHIEVE-4: Orforglipron Non-Inferior to Insulin Glargine for Cardiovascular Protection in T2D

Learn how subtle liver enzyme changes and age-specific movement symptoms signal Wilson disease, plus the latest on newborn screening and tests.

Video Series

Early Clinical Signs and the Evolution of Diagnosis in Wilson Disease

Psoriasis care shifts beyond skin: treat-to-target goals, heart risk reduction, and new oral TYK2 pills with strong safety data.

Zasocitinib in Plaque Psoriasis from the LATITUDE Trials

Clinicians across specialties spot red flags, refer early to GI, and follow guidelines to improve diagnosis and management.

Who Diagnoses EPI? Defining Roles Across the Care Team

Wilson disease mimics tremor, dystonia, Parkinsonism or psychosis; watch for subtle liver signs and screen early to avoid delay.

Understanding Pathophysiology and Copper Transport in Wilson Disease

Discover how oral TYK2 inhibitors deliver targeted psoriasis control with strong safety data and biologic-like clearance, including insights on deucravacitinib and zasocitinib.

The Role of TYK2 Inhibitors in Modern Psoriasis Care

Why EPI stays missed: barriers to enzyme therapy, targeted fecal elastase testing, and preventing malnutrition, bone loss, and QoL decline.

Latest News

Highlighting Key IL-23 Innovations in Dermatology, With April W. Armstrong, MD, MPH

Diabetes Dialogue: Orforglipron Availability, Amazon Pharmacy, and Dosing Considerations

The Current Diagnostic and Treatment Landscape of Cardiac Sarcoidosis, With Vaiibhav Patel, MD

Liver Lineup: Closing the Gap in Women’s Liver Health

Kv7 Channel Modulator Shows Promise for Anhedonia in MDD, With James Murrough, MD