Abigail Brooks is a strategic content lead overseeing 

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.

Immediate ambulatory ECG monitoring initiated in the emergency department (ED) did not reduce recurrent syncope but more than doubled arrhythmia detection and was associated with a 50% reduction in all-cause mortality at 1 year, according to results from the ASPIRED trial presented in a Hot Line session at the 

European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress 2026

 in Munich, Germany, and published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine.¹

"It can be difficult to determine the cause of syncope in the ED as many rhythm disturbances occur intermittently and are no longer present by the time patients arrive in hospital. Some patients then have to wait weeks or even months for investigations," Matthew Reed, MD, principal investigator of ASPIRED and professor at The Usher Institute, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, said in a statement. "Prior to the trial, preliminary evidence suggested that cardiac monitoring, initiated during the ED visit, was beneficial for detecting arrhythmias. The ASPIRED trial therefore evaluated whether fitting patients with a 14-day ECG monitor immediately after ED assessment could improve their clinical outcomes."

ASPIRED was conducted at 45 hospitals across the United Kingdom. Adults with unexplained syncope after ED evaluation were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to 14-day ambulatory cardiac monitoring or their hospital's standard management practice. Patients in the monitoring group wore a small, waterproof, leadless, non-invasive heart monitor continuously recording cardiac rhythm, with a button to press if another syncopal event occurred; patients in both groups recorded syncopal episodes in a paper diary.¹

A total of 2234 patients underwent randomization (n = 1123 to the intervention group and n = 1111 to the standard-care group), making ASPIRED the largest randomized trial to date evaluating immediate ambulatory ECG monitoring in unexplained syncope.¹

After exclusion of patients with no follow-up data, 1970 patients (n = 1004 intervention and n = 966 standard-care) were included in the primary analysis; the mean age was 58.3 years, and 52.1% were male.¹ For the primary endpoint, no significant difference was observed in the mean number of self-reported syncope episodes at 1 year between the monitoring and standard-care groups (1.37 vs 1.58; incidence rate ratio, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.68-1.18; 

Arrhythmia Detection, Treatment, and Mortality Findings

Monitoring more than doubled the detection of clinically significant cardiac arrhythmias compared with standard care (22% vs 9%) and led to substantially earlier diagnosis (median 22 days vs 55 days).¹ Monitoring also increased the proportion of patients receiving appropriate treatment, including pacemaker implantation (6.8% vs 4.6%) and antiarrhythmic therapy (10.8% vs 7.3%).¹

Monitoring was associated with a 50% relative reduction in all-cause mortality at 1 year (1.5% vs 2.9%), and patients reported high acceptability of the device. Mortality was a secondary rather than a prespecified primary end point, and Reed noted further research is needed to confirm and explain this survival signal. A total of 49 adverse events were reported in the intervention group compared with 8 in the standard-care group, though only 1 serious adverse event occurred in each group.¹

Reed summarized the trial's clinical implications despite the negative primary end point. "Although immediate ECG monitoring did not reduce recurrent fainting, it enabled earlier identification of serious cardiac rhythm disorders, allowing patients to receive treatment much sooner, reducing uncertainty and anxiety, and potentially preventing avoidable deaths," Reed said. "These findings suggest that early monitoring should be considered as part of routine ED care for patients with unexplained syncope, while further research explores the observed survival benefit."

ESC. Wearable monitor improves diagnosis of heart rhythm disorders after fainting. August 31, 2026. Accessed September 2, 2026. 

https://www.escardio.org/news/press/press-releases/wearable-monitor-improves-diagnosis-of-heart-rhythm-disorders-after-fainting/

Reed MJ, Grubb N, Lang C, et al. Immediate ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring in syncope. N Engl J Med. 2026. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2605812

Reed MJ, Grubb N, Lang C, et al. Multicentre open label randomised controlled trial of immediate enhanced ambulatory ECG monitoring versus standard monitoring in acute unexplained syncope patients: the ASPIRED study. BMJ Open. 2023;13:e069530.

Articles

Immediate 14-day ambulatory ECG monitoring initiated at ED discharge for unexplained syncope did not lower recurrent syncope at 1 year versus standard care. However, it more than doubled clinically significant arrhythmia detection and shortened time to diagnosis, translating into higher rates of targeted interventions such as pacemakers and antiarrhythmic therapy. A secondary analysis showed a 50% relative reduction in all-cause mortality, though causality remains uncertain. Device acceptability was high, with more nonserious adverse events reported in the monitoring arm.

The ASPIRED trial found immediate ECG monitoring in the ED did not reduce recurrent syncope but doubled arrhythmia detection and cut mortality.

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Immediate ECG Monitoring Cuts Mortality in Unexplained Syncope

Owen Muir, MD, DFAACAP, FCTMSS, co-founder and chief medical officer at Radial.

Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (Deep TMS) produced a 70% relative reduction in the proportion of patients experiencing 

, with the accelerated SWIFT protocol easing suicidal ideation at a median of 10 days compared with 13 days for standard once-daily dosing.

The analysis draws on data from BrainsWay's multisite randomized non-inferiority trial comparing the SWIFT accelerated Deep TMS protocol with standard once-daily dosing, the same trial supporting FDA clearance of SWIFT in September 2025.

Deep TMS holds FDA clearance for major depressive disorder, including anxious depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and smoking addiction, but carries no FDA clearance for treating or preventing suicidal ideation or suicidal behavior.

 The publication adds to a growing 2026 literature examining deep TMS and suicidality, including a sham-controlled trial in hospitalized patients with active suicidality and a review of 108 studies on suicidality interventions.

"Patients who aren't suicidal don't have to sit around struggling with their suicidal thoughts," said Owen Muir, MD, DFAACAP, FCTMSS, co-founder and chief medical officer at Radial. "It's better to not be suicidal."

Deep TMS Reduces Suicidal Ideation by 70% in MDD, With Owen Muir, MD

SWIFT Accelerated Deep TMS Efficacy in Suicidal Ideation Reduction

The trial enrolled 89 patients across multiple sites in a randomized comparison of SWIFT accelerated deep TMS dosing against standard once-daily deep TMS dosing, using the Scale for Suicide Ideation (SSI) to track suicidality throughout treatment.

Investigators found the number of patients with any suicidal ideation (SSI>0) fell from 22.5% (20/89) at baseline to 6.7% (6/89) after 6 weeks of treatment, a 70% relative reduction across both dosing arms.¹ Patients assigned to SWIFT reached a median ≥ 1-point SSI improvement in 10 days, compared with 13 days for patients on the standard once-daily protocol, a statistically significant difference.¹

Muir noted many study sites delivered SWIFT over 3 half days per week across 2 weeks rather than 6 consecutive days, the compressed schedule he uses in his own clinical practice. He raises the possibility further gains in speed remain unmeasured in the trial data.

Deep TMS Safety Profile and Regulatory Status in Suicidal Ideation

A secondary analysis found a 70% relative reduction in suicidal ideation with deep TMS, with SWIFT accelerated dosing improving suicidality faster than standard once-daily dosing (10 vs 13 days).

The trial excluded the most severely suicidal patients at baseline, and Deep TMS remains FDA-cleared for MDD, OCD, and smoking addiction, not specifically for suicidal ideation.

Owen Muir, MD, of Radial, said the trial's modular 3-day-per-week dosing schedule leaves open whether even faster suicidality relief is possible with 6 consecutive days of SWIFT.

Muir cautioned the trial population excluded patients with the most severe suicidality at baseline, screened per FDA trial requirements. This means that outcomes reflect a moderately suicidal cohort rather than the most acutely at-risk patients seen in clinical practice.

He characterized the divergence between faster suicidality improvement and slower overall depression scores as likely statistical noise rather than a distinct mechanism, since the trial was not powered to detect a difference in suicidality as a standalone endpoint.

"My biggest takeaway here is if you're looking at time to remission of suicidality, accelerated TMS is the clear choice," Muir said.

BrainsWay. BrainsWay Deep TMS™ study shows 70% reduction in patients experiencing suicidal ideation. Published August 27, 2026. Accessed September 2, 2026. 

globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/08/27/3351903

Roth Y, Tendler A, Brink E, et al. Effects of H-coil TMS on suicidality in major depression: A secondary analysis of data from a multisite randomized trial comparing accelerated to once-a-day stimulation. 

Accelerated TMS with the H1-coil for depression: A multisite, randomized non-inferiority trial. 

George MS, Raman R, Benedek DM, et al. A two-site pilot randomized 3 day trial of high dose left prefrontal repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for suicidal inpatients. 

Videos

A secondary analysis found the SWIFT accelerated protocol eased suicidal ideation faster than standard daily deep TMS dosing in major depressive disorder.

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David T. Rubin, MD is a professor of medicine at the University of Chicago, director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center, and chair of the International Organization for the Study of IBD (IOIBD).

has been measured almost exclusively by what's happening in the bowel. David T. Rubin,  MD, a professor of medicine at the University of Chicago, director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center, and chair of the International Organization for the Study of IBD (IOIBD), argues that definition is too narrow to capture what patients actually need.

"What we're trying to do for anybody who's suffering from anything, frankly, is improve their quality of life," Rubin said in an interview with HCPLive.

What Comprehensive Disease Control Means for IBD, With David Rubin, MD

Rubin's framework, comprehensive disease control (also called comprehensive disease management), reflects a shift in how the field defines success in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. As IBD treatments have multiplied, most clinical trial endpoints have stayed centered on the bowel. But Rubin points out that these conditions extend well beyond the intestines.

"We recognize that these conditions affect much more than the intestines, and therefore, in order to take care of people properly who have these problems, we need to be thinking about the whole person," Rubin said.

That whole-person view includes well-established extraintestinal manifestations like joint pain and skin inflammation, but Rubin extends it further to what he calls atypical extraintestinal manifestations: mental health disorders, sexual health, and sleep quality. Patients with IBD have a higher prevalence of anxiety and depression than those without the disease, and Rubin's goal, he said, is "an unrestricted, high quality of life."

Rubin breaks remission into three sequential categories for his patients. The first is symptomatic: no pain, no diarrhea, no bleeding, no urgency.

The second is control of the underlying disease process itself, confirmed through normalized biological markers on scopes, stool tests, or blood tests (in children, growth and development serve as markers). Rubin emphasizes that this second category is not optional. "50% of people who feel well or feel better will still be inflamed, and if you're still inflamed despite feeling okay, you will relapse," he said.

"I want you to feel perfect, but I want it to last forever, and that means we have to control the disease process," Rubin said.

The third category is what Rubin calls functional remission: no joint pain, no skin inflammation, no depression or anxiety, restored sexual health, and the ability to work, travel, go to school, or have children without the disease getting in the way. He describes this as the ultimate goal, but stresses the categories have to be addressed in order.

Comprehensive disease control adds standardized quality-of-life measures to the usual clinical trial endpoints of symptom control and endoscopic or biomarker-based disease control. According to Rubin, this reframing exposes a gap that's easy to miss when only looking at the bowel.

"When you raise the bar, you start to realize that even when you have people whose bowels are perfect, you're not improving their quality of life because you haven't addressed the other issues," Rubin said. "Healing is different than just treating inflammation."

Editor’s Note: Rubin reports relevant disclosures with AbbVie, Takeda, Pfizer, Janssen, Bristol Myers Squibb, and others.

Defining comprehensive disease control for use as a treatment target for ulcerative colitis in clinical practice: international Delphi consensus recommendations. 

Turner D, Ricciuto A, Lewis A, et al. STRIDE-II: an update on the Selecting Therapeutic Targets in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (STRIDE) Initiative of the International Organization for the Study of IBD (IOIBD): determining therapeutic goals for treat-to-target strategies in IBD. 

A gastroenterologist explains why treating bowel inflammation alone isn't enough to call inflammatory bowel disease "controlled."

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Gastroenterology condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on digestive and GI conditions. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for 

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

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

On the HCPLive inflammatory bowel disease page, resources on the topics of medical news and expert insight into IBD can be found. Content includes articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, and breaking news on IBD and more.

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.

TEV '408, an investigational anti-interleukin-15 (IL-15) monoclonal antibody, met its primary endpoint, with statistically significant and clinically meaningful prevention of gluten-induced intestinal damage versus placebo at week 8.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd announced the positive topline results from an ongoing phase 2a study in adults with 

-approved therapies for celiac disease, and a strict, lifelong gluten-free diet remains the standard of care.

"A strict gluten-free diet has long been the only option for people living with celiac disease. Yet, even with strict adherence to a gluten-free diet, many continue to experience symptoms, intestinal damage, and a significant impact on their daily lives," said Eric Hughes, MD, PhD, Executive Vice President, Global R&D and Chief Medical Officer at Teva, in a statement.

TEV '408's primary mechanism of action is to bind and block the activity of IL-15, a key inflammatory cytokine that plays a central role in tissue inflammation and the destruction of healthy cells in immune conditions. By neutralizing IL-15 signaling, the therapeutic is intended to directly target the immune-mediated destruction underlying multiple chronic inflammatory diseases.

In celiac disease, TEV '408 blocks gluten-induced IL-15 signaling, lowering the density of intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) and preventing the characteristic structural damage, such as villous atrophy, to the small intestine.

The therapy has a long half-life and is designed as a subcutaneous injection given once every 12 weeks.

Design and Results of the Ongoing Phase 2a Study

The ongoing randomized, placebo-controlled study enrolled 50 adult participants with celiac disease on a gluten-free diet (GFD) with minimal intestinal damage at baseline, as measured by villous height-to-crypt depth ratio (Vh:Cd ≥2.0) and symptoms. Two weeks after receiving a single dose of TEV '408, participants began a 6-week daily gluten challenge (GC). The study assessed biopsy-based measures of intestinal damage and inflammation along with patient-reported symptoms.

Showed statistically significant and clinically meaningful prevention of gluten-induced intestinal damage versus placebo, as measured by the trial's primary endpoint of Vh:Cd ratio, with a least squares (LS) mean change from baseline of -0.43 compared with -0.88 for placebo (treatment difference of 0.45, 95% CI: 0.06-0.84, p<0.05)

Showed a favorable effect on intestinal inflammation as measured by density of IELs compared with placebo; the LS mean change from baseline in IEL density was an increase of 27.60 for placebo compared with 0.37 for TEV '408-treated participants (treatment difference of -27.23, 95% CI: -39.67 to -14.79)

Demonstrated lower gastrointestinal symptom scores versus placebo, as assessed using the Celiac Disease Symptom Diary (CDSD), a patient-reported outcome (PRO)

Was well-tolerated, with no emerging safety signals

Additional analyses from the ongoing phase 2a study are underway.

"These results underscore the potential to move beyond managing gluten exposure and address celiac disease at its biological source," Hughes said in a statement. "They also strengthen our confidence in targeting the IL-15 pathway as an approach to reducing immune-driven intestinal damage."

Teva Pharmaceutical. Teva Announces Positive Topline Results from Phase 2a Study in Celiac Disease for Its Anti-IL-15 Antibody, Further Validating Its Pipeline-in-a-Product Potential. Tevapharm.com. September 2, 2026. Accessed September 2, 2026. 

https://www.tevapharm.com/news-and-media/latest-news/teva-announces-positive-topline-results-from-phase-2a-study-in-celiac-disease-for-its-anti-il-15-antibody/

Schnir V, Rigby M, Calota MR, et al. Su1326 Developing TEV-53408 for the Treatment of Celiac Disease: Summary of Preliminary Results From the First in Human Phase 1 Study in Healthy Volunteers. Gastroenterology. 2024;166(5):S-730. doi:10.1016/s0016-5085(24)02155-3

TEV ’408, a long–half-life subcutaneous anti–IL-15 monoclonal antibody dosed every 12 weeks, reduced gluten-challenge–associated mucosal injury in adults with celiac disease despite a gluten-free diet. In a randomized, placebo-controlled phase 2a trial (n=50), a single dose given two weeks before a six-week daily gluten challenge significantly preserved villous height-to-crypt depth ratio at week 8 and blunted intraepithelial lymphocytosis. Patient-reported GI symptoms improved versus placebo, and no new safety signals emerged. IL-15 blockade is intended to interrupt immune-mediated epithelial destruction and may enable pharmacologic protection during inadvertent gluten exposure.

The phase 2a study found TEV '408 significantly reduced intestinal damage and inflammation versus placebo at week 8

TEV '408 Meets Primary Endpoint in Celiac Trial

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.

European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress 

convenes in Barcelona, Spain, from September 5 to 9, 2026, 

 will arrive at one of its more consequential inflection points in recent memory. Chronic obstructive pulmonary diasese (COPD), long the field's most undertreated major disease, is undergoing a meaningful therapeutic expansion: the first phase 3 data for an IL-33 receptor antagonist in exacerbation prevention will be presented, eosinophil-guided ICS strategy is being tested in a prospective randomized design for the first time, and questions about beta-blocker use in COPD without cardiovascular disease are getting a direct answer. In asthma, the next wave of anti-TSLP biology is arriving — a bispecific antibody targeting both TSLP and IL-4Rα and a long-acting anti-TSLP candidate with a 6-month dosing interval are each presenting first human data. In IPF, nerandomilast's open-label extension brings long-term safety data that will inform the field's growing conversation about combination antifibrotic therapy, while back-to-back sessions on Monday and Tuesday will present early clinical results from RNA and base editing programs targeting the PI*ZZ mutation in AATD — a first for any major respiratory congress.

 editorial team will be on site in Barcelona for coverage and interviews throughout the meeting.

1. Eosinophil-Guided ICS Therapy in COPD: The COPERNICOS Trial

Jens-Ulrik Stæhr Jensen, MD, PhD | 16:30–17:30 CEST

Blood eosinophil counts have long been proposed as a biomarker to guide ICS use in COPD, but prospective randomized evidence for eosinophil-directed treatment decisions has remained limited. COPERNICOS tests this directly in an RCT evaluating whether eosinophil-guided ICS escalation or de-escalation improves outcomes compared to standard care in patients with severe COPD. 

 will be speaking with Jensen following his presentation to discuss the trial design and what the results mean for eosinophil-guided prescribing in clinical practice.

2. Metoprolol in COPD Without Cardiovascular Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Beta-blocker use in COPD has been debated for decades, with observational data suggesting cardiovascular and respiratory benefit but few prospective trials. This RCT directly addresses whether metoprolol — a cardioselective beta-1 blocker — is safe and effective in patients with COPD who lack an established cardiovascular indication, a population routinely excluded from landmark beta-blocker trials.

3. Tozorakimab Modulates COPD Airway Biology Beyond Type 2 Inflammation: FRONTIER-4

Tozorakimab is a monoclonal antibody targeting IL-33, an epithelial alarmin released in response to viral infection and tissue damage that drives both type 2 and non-type 2 airway inflammation. FRONTIER-4 is a phase 2 mechanistic study examining tozorakimab's effects on COPD airway biology — including translational biomarkers beyond eosinophils — providing biological context ahead of the phase 3 OBERON and TITANIA exacerbation data presented Tuesday.

4. Zumilokibart (APG777) and Durable FeNO Suppression in Asthma

Mario Castro, MD, MPH | 16:30–17:30 CEST

Zumilokibart (APG777) is a next-generation anti-IL-13 antibody engineered for extended half-life, designed to offer meaningful dosing intervals beyond current approved agents. This late-breaking abstract reports a single-dose study demonstrating durable suppression of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) through 32 weeks in patients with mild-to-moderate asthma, establishing proof-of-pharmacodynamic-concept for the program.

5. GRI-0621 in IPF: Phase 2a Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial

GRI-0621 is an oral agonist selective for retinoic acid receptor β/γ (RARβ/γ), a nuclear receptor pathway implicated in alveolar epithelial repair and the attenuation of TGF-β–driven fibrogenesis. This phase 2a randomized trial reports safety, translational biomarker data, and lung function signals in patients with IPF, representing an early clinical readout for a mechanism largely unexplored in antifibrotic development. 

 will be talking with Wijsenbeek about these results and what the RARβ/γ mechanism adds to the current antifibrotic landscape.

6. In Vivo Base Editing for AATD: YOLT-202 Phase 1/2 Trial

Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency caused by the PI*ZZ genotype results from a missense mutation in SERPINA1 that causes misfolding and hepatic accumulation of AAT protein, with downstream lung and liver disease. YOLT-202 uses adenine base editing delivered in vivo to correct the PI*ZZ mutation at the DNA level — a strategy that, if effective, would represent disease modification rather than protein replacement.

7. RNA Editing for AATD: RestorAATion-2 Interim Results

RNA editing offers an alternative to permanent DNA modification for AATD: rather than correcting the underlying SERPINA1 mutation, ADAR-mediated RNA editing restores the sequence at the transcript level, transiently normalizing AAT protein production and reducing the burden of misfolded Z-AAT in hepatocytes. RestorAATion-2 presents interim phase 2 data with primary interest in circulating AAT levels and hepatic biomarkers.

8. ATI-052, a Bispecific Anti-TSLP/IL-4Rα Antibody: First-in-Human Phase 1a Data

Christopher Brightling, MD, PhD | 15:45–17:00 CEST

ATI-052 is a bispecific monoclonal antibody engineered to simultaneously block TSLP and the IL-4Rα subunit shared by IL-4 and IL-13 receptors, targeting upstream epithelial alarmin signaling and downstream type 2 effector cytokines with a single agent. This first-in-human phase 1a study reports pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and initial safety in healthy volunteers and subjects with mild asthma.

9. Selective TRPA-1 Antagonist in IPF-Associated Chronic Cough: Phase 2a/2b (BI 1839100)

Chronic cough affects a significant proportion of patients with IPF and represents a major unmet need with no approved therapy; TRPA-1 is a sensory receptor expressed in airway epithelium that responds to mechanical stretch, acid, and inflammatory mediators and is thought to drive cough hypersensitivity in fibrotic disease. This phase 2a/2b randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of BI 1839100 provides the first controlled evidence on selective TRPA-1 blockade for IPF-associated cough. HCPLive will be asking Wijsenbeek about this readout alongside the GRI-0621 data to get her perspective on what these two trials together signal for the IPF pipeline.

10. Lunsekimig for Chronic Rhinosinusitis With Nasal Polyps: DUET Trial

Lunsekimig is a bispecific antibody targeting both IL-13 and TSLP, combining type 2 cytokine blockade with upstream epithelial alarmin suppression — a mechanism not covered by dupilumab or tezepelumab alone. The DUET trial presents phase 3 efficacy and safety data in patients with CRSwNP, a disease with established biologic options but persistent burden in incomplete responders.

11. Tozorakimab to Prevent COPD Exacerbations: OBERON and TITANIA Phase 3

Tozorakimab (MEDI3506) blocks IL-33, an alarmin released during cellular stress and viral infection that activates ST2-expressing innate immune cells and drives both eosinophilic and non-eosinophilic airway inflammation in COPD. OBERON and TITANIA are replicate phase 3 randomized controlled trials evaluating tozorakimab's effect on moderate-to-severe exacerbation rates across a broad COPD population — the replicate design and breadth of the target population make this among the highest-stakes data readouts of the congress.

12. VALIANT: Phase 2 Trial of Verekitug in Severe Asthma

Verekitug targets the TSLP receptor directly rather than the ligand, representing a mechanistically distinct approach to TSLP pathway blockade compared with tezepelumab. VALIANT is a phase 2 randomized trial reporting efficacy and safety in patients with severe asthma, with results that will inform how the anti-TSLP class may expand beyond the first approved agent. 

13. BEAM-302: First-in-Human In Vivo Gene Editing for Severe AATD

will be speaking with Hurst onsite to learn more about BEAM-302, which uses lipid nanoparticle delivery to introduce adenine base editors directly into hepatocytes in vivo, correcting the PI*ZZ point mutation at the genomic level without permanent DNA double-strand breaks. Initial phase 1/2 data represent the first clinical evidence for in vivo base editing in any respiratory or hepatic genetic disease, with primary endpoints focused on circulating AAT levels, hepatic safety, and off-target editing assessment.

14. Nerandomilast Safety and Tolerability in IPF and PPF: FIBRONEER-ON

Nerandomilast is a selective PDE4B inhibitor that reduces fibroblast activation and macrophage-driven inflammation through a cAMP-dependent mechanism distinct from both pirfenidone and nintedanib. The FIBRONEER-ON open-label extension provides long-term safety and tolerability data from patients with IPF and progressive pulmonary fibrosis continuing nerandomilast after the pivotal FIBRONEER trial — data that will directly inform the feasibility of combination antifibrotic regimens as the field evaluates dual therapy as a next step. HCPLive will be sitting down with Wuyts to discuss what the extension data reveal about nerandomilast's long-term profile and where combination strategies go from here.

ERS 2026 spotlights a pivotal broadening of respiratory therapeutics across COPD, asthma, IPF, and AATD. COPD advances include first phase 3 exacerbation-prevention data with IL-33 blockade, a randomized test of eosinophil-guided ICS escalation/de-escalation, and definitive RCT evidence on metoprolol in patients without cardiovascular indications. Asthma features first-in-human programs extending anti-TSLP biology, including a TSLP/IL-4Rα bispecific and a long-acting candidate with extended dosing. IPF sessions emphasize novel antifibrotic mechanisms, cough targets, and long-term nerandomilast safety, alongside inaugural respiratory-congress clinical readouts for in vivo and RNA/base editing approaches in PI*ZZ AATD.

The HCPLive editorial team previews late-breaking abstracts across COPD, asthma, IPF, PAH, and AATD ahead of ERS Congress 2026 in Barcelona.

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.

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.

Asthma

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ERS Congress 2026 Preview: Late-Breaking Trials to Know

Baba Inusa, MBBS, is a Consultant Paediatrician in the School of Life Course & Population Sciences at King's College London.

A pediatric hematologist unpacks why sickle cell disease burden, treatment access, and pain outcomes differ across sub-Saharan Africa, other LMICs, and HICs.

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.

Addressing Global Care Gaps in Sickle Cell Disease, With Baba Inusa, MBBS

Kristina Duffin, MD, MS is a professor in the Department of Dermatology and recently appointed Dean of the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah.

Kristina Duffin, MD, MS, shares lessons from her LEADderm leadership session, including how to define which problems are truly yours to solve.

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.

Key Lessons in Leadership as a Clinician, With Kristina Duffin, MD

Stacey Rifkin-Zenenberg, DO, is a Pediatric Hematologist Oncologist in Hackensack, NJ. She has 30 years of experience and is board certified in Hospice Care and Palliative Medicine.

Stacey Rifkin-Zenenberg, DO, marks Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month with insight on gene therapy vs. transplant.

The 9-to-12-Month Decision in Curative Sickle Cell Care

Chelsie Derman is an associate editor for 

who covers allergy and  psychiatry. She joined MJH Life Sciences in September 2023 after graduating from The College of New Jersey with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and professional writing. In her free time, she enjoys creative writing and reading.

A regulatory resubmission, 2 phase 3 psychedelic trial readouts, new TMS dosing data, and an MDD genetics study, all in this August 2026 recap.

PTSD

5 Psychiatry Headlines You Missed in August 2026

A joint ESC/ERA guideline on universal CKD screening headlines August 2026's nephrology news, alongside new finerenone and sibeprenlimab trial data.

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.

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.

Chronic Kidney Disease

5 Nephrology Headlines You Missed in August 2026

Peter Lio, MD, discusses why precision medicine has advanced further in psoriasis than atopic dermatitis, and what oncology can teach dermatology.

The Present and Future of Precision Medicine in Dermatology, With Peter Lio, MD

FDA actions, a WAO consensus update, and late-stage trial data in food allergy, anaphylaxis, CRSwNP, and EoE, all in this August 2026 recap.

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.

Food Allergy

Anaphylaxis

The HCPLive anaphylaxis page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on acute allergic reactions. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for preventing anaphylaxis, and more.

Seasonal Allergy

7 Allergy Headlines You Missed in August 2026

This episode, "B-Cell Therapy in IgAN: APRIL, BAFF, and the VISIONARY and ORIGIN Trials," features the panel examining a class that changed the field.

B-Cell Therapy in IgAN: APRIL, BAFF, and the VISIONARY and ORIGIN Trials

Biologics have displaced a procedure that once filled the fellowship schedule. The panel weighs what replaced aspirin desensitization, and how sinus surgery rates changed with it.

Video Series

Managing Both Upper and Lower Airway Diseases

In "Endothelin Receptor Antagonists in IgAN: The ALIGN Trial and Access," our experts turn to a newly approved kidney-protective class.

Latest News

Immediate ECG Monitoring Cuts Mortality in Unexplained Syncope

Deep TMS Reduces Suicidal Ideation by 70% in MDD, With Owen Muir, MD

What Comprehensive Disease Control Means for IBD, With David Rubin, MD

TEV '408 Meets Primary Endpoint in Celiac Trial

ERS Congress 2026 Preview: Late-Breaking Trials to Know