 or primary immune complex membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (IC-MPGN) maintained a nearly 68% reduction in proteinuria after 76 weeks of pegcetacoplan (Empaveli) treatment, with stable kidney function and no new safety signals, according to a post hoc analysis of the phase 3 VALIANT trial and its open-label extension, VALE.¹

Bradley P. Dixon, MD, FASN, associate professor of pediatrics and medicine and head of the Section of Nephrology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, presented the findings at the 

American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Kidney Week 2026

 in Denver, Colorado. The results build on 

, providing longer-term evidence of sustained proteinuria reduction in adolescents receiving complement-targeted therapy.¹

Adolescents with C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) or primary immune complex membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (IC-MPGN) maintained a nearly 68% reduction in proteinuria after 76 weeks of pegcetacoplan (Empaveli) treatment, with stable kidney function and no new safety signals, according to a post hoc analysis of the phase 3 VALIANT trial and its open-label extension, VALE.¹  Bradley P. Dixon, MD, FASN, associate professor of pediatrics and medicine and head of the Section of Nephrology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, presented the findings at the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Kidney Week 2026 in Denver, Colorado. The results build on previously reported 52-week findings, providing longer-term evidence of sustained proteinuria reduction in adolescents receiving complement-targeted therapy.¹

Diagnostic Delays in Rare Complement-Mediated Kidney Disease

C3G and primary IC-MPGN are rare, chronic glomerular diseases associated with dysregulation of the complement system. Excessive complement activation can contribute to inflammation and progressive kidney damage, with both diseases frequently presenting during childhood or early adulthood.²

, a targeted C3 and C3b inhibitor, for patients aged 12 years and older with C3G or primary IC-MPGN. It was the first approved treatment for primary IC-MPGN and the first for adolescents with either disease.³ The indication was subsequently expanded in August 2026 to include reducing the loss of kidney function.⁴

Despite advances in treatment, disease rarity can complicate timely diagnosis.

“C3 glomerulopathy and immune complex MPGN are rare diseases, and so there can be a lack of familiarity with these diseases. I would say that’s more true for the adult nephrology population,” Dixon said in an interview with 

. “We in the pediatric nephrology world are more tuned into rare diseases, so we will diagnose these patients a little bit more quickly. But nevertheless, rare diseases can go undiagnosed for a longer period of time.”

Shifting the Treatment Paradigm for C3G and IC-MPGN

Historically, treatment for C3G and primary IC-MPGN has relied on supportive care and nonspecific immunosuppression, including corticosteroids and mycophenolate. Complement-targeted therapies offer an approach directed at a central mechanism of disease activity.

Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO)

 guidance generally positioned complement therapeutics after conventional immunosuppressive treatment in patients with severe or refractory disease.

“That ultimately delays the initiation of targeted and highly effective therapies until some amount of damage has been done by uncontrolled disease activity,” Dixon said.

The concern is particularly relevant for adolescents, who may face decades of disease burden following diagnosis. Although the VALIANT+VALE analysis did not directly evaluate treatment timing, sustained proteinuria reduction and stable eGFR provide additional evidence of disease control during extended complement inhibition.

 The Case for Earlier Complement Inhibition in C3G, With Bradley Dixon, MD

VALIANT (NCT05067127) was a phase 3, randomized, placebo-controlled trial evaluating pegcetacoplan in patients with C3G or primary IC-MPGN. Participants were randomized 1:1 to receive subcutaneous pegcetacoplan or placebo twice weekly for 26 weeks, followed by a 26-week open-label period in which all participants received pegcetacoplan. Eligible participants could subsequently enter the VALE open-label extension (NCT05809531).¹,²

The initial randomized adolescent analysis included 55 patients aged 12 to 17 years, of whom 28 received pegcetacoplan and 27 received placebo. At week 26, pegcetacoplan was associated with a 75% relative reduction in proteinuria compared with placebo (95% CI, 59%–84%; nominal 

Additionally, 71% of adolescents receiving pegcetacoplan achieved at least a 50% reduction in proteinuria, compared with 4% receiving placebo. A composite kidney endpoint requiring both a reduction in proteinuria of at least 50% and no more than a 15% decline in eGFR was achieved by 57% and 4% of patients, respectively.²

For the 76-week post hoc analysis, investigators reported outcomes from 53 adolescents receiving pegcetacoplan across VALIANT and VALE. Results were aligned by duration of pegcetacoplan exposure, combining patients originally assigned to pegcetacoplan with those who crossed over from placebo. Efficacy endpoints included changes from baseline in urine protein-to-creatinine ratio (UPCR) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), along with treatment-emergent adverse events.¹

Sustained Proteinuria Reduction and Stable eGFR Through 76 Weeks

At 76 weeks, the geometric mean reduction in UPCR from baseline was 67.5% (95% CI, 54.1%–77.0%). The reduction was consistent with findings at week 26 (68.4%) and week 52 (69.3%), suggesting the initial proteinuria response was maintained with continued treatment.¹

Kidney function also remained stable over the extended treatment period. At week 76, the least squares mean change in eGFR from baseline was +8.4 mL/min/1.73 m² (SE, 4.43).¹

The sustained response was consistent with findings from the overall VALIANT population, in which a separate 76-week analysis reported a 64.1% reduction in proteinuria and stable eGFR.⁵

No new safety signals were identified in the adolescent analysis through 76 weeks.¹

The findings support sustained proteinuria reduction and eGFR stabilization during pegcetacoplan treatment in adolescents with C3G or primary IC-MPGN. However, because the longer-term analysis was post hoc and lacked a concurrent placebo group after the randomized treatment period, it cannot establish the comparative benefit of extended treatment or whether earlier initiation prevents long-term kidney function decline.

For clinicians managing adolescents with these rare diseases, the results add to evidence supporting complement inhibition as a targeted treatment approach, while longer-term follow-up will be important for understanding its effects on kidney outcomes over time.

Editor's Note: Dixon reports relevant disclosures with Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, and others.

Dixon BP, Greenbaum LA, Ariceta Iraola G, et al. Pegcetacoplan for 76 weeks maintains proteinuria reduction and eGFR stabilization for pediatric patients: VALIANT+VALE subgroup analysis. Abstract TH-OR070. Presented at: American Society of Nephrology Kidney Week 2026; October 22-25, 2026; Denver, CO. 

https://www.asn-online.org/education/kidneyweek/2026/program-abstract.aspx?controlId=4555106

Vivarelli M, Ariceta G, Borovitz Y, et al. Pegcetacoplan for adolescents with C3 glomerulopathy or primary immune complex membranoproliferative GN: phase 3 VALIANT subgroup analysis. 

US Food and Drug Administration. Orphan drug designations and approvals: pegcetacoplan (Empaveli), C3 glomerulopathy. Accessed November 4, 2026. 

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/opdlisting/oopd/detailedIndex.cfm?cfgridkey=633418

Empaveli (pegcetacoplan) injection, for subcutaneous use. Prescribing information. Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Revised August 2026. Accessed November 4, 2026. 

https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=c23d89e9-b00b-4520-e053-2995a90a95af

Nester CM, Bomback AS, Ariceta Iraola G, et al. Pegcetacoplan for 76 weeks maintains proteinuria reduction and stabilizes kidney function in C3 glomerulopathy or primary immune-complex membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (IC-MPGN). Abstract SA-OR054. Presented at: American Society of Nephrology Kidney Week 2026; October 22-25, 2026; Denver, CO. 

https://www.asn-online.org/education/kidneyweek/2026/program-abstract.as

Videos

Bradley Dixon, MD, discusses VALIANT+VALE data showing sustained proteinuria reduction and stable eGFR through 76 weeks in adolescents with C3G or IC-MPGN.



Clinical

clinical page is a resource for content on every specialty, disease, and topic available on our medical news site.

News

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

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.

C3 Glomerulopathy

The HCPLive C3 glomerulopathy page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on C3G. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments in C3G, and more.

Chronic Kidney Disease

Pegcetacoplan Sustains Proteinuria Reduction at 76 Weeks in Adolescents

Tobias Uhe, MD, is a specialist in internal medicine and cardiology and a senior physician at the University of Leipzig.

Wearable devices are capable of detecting 

, but sensitivity depends largely on AF episode duration and device wear time.

Smart Watches Detect Atrial Fibrillation After Stroke, Sensitivity Depends Episode Duration

These data, the results from the Find-AF2 Watch trial, were presented at the 

 in Seoul, South Korea, by Tobias Uhe, MD, a specialist in internal medicine and cardiology and a senior physician at the University of Leipzig in Germany.

“We don’t know what amount of atrial fibrillation is key for secondary prevention of strokes – maybe longer episodes are the ones which might be more clinically significant,” Uhe told 

 in an exclusive interview. “And of course, we also wanted to ask a more technical question: what amount of atrial fibrillation are the variables able to find?”

Find-AF 2 Watch was a pilot study investigating the sensitivity of wearables, namely the Apple Watch Series 10 and the PulseOn device, in patients who had already been given continuous implantable event monitors (ICMs). Both devices detected AF via photoplethysmography, and the identification of an arrhythmic pulse curve was communicated through vibration.

Patients were chosen from the Find-AF 2 trial and were required to have a recent symptomatic ischemic stroke within the last 30 days. Those with no ICM data transmission possible, poor electrocardiogram (ECG) data quality, a medical history of intracerebral bleeding, or an implanted pacemaker or cardioverter/defibrillator, among other criteria, were excluded from the study. The primary outcome was sensitivity as a function of AF duration – specifically, the probability that an AF episode will be detected, as it depends on the episode’s duration. Secondary endpoints included ECG compliance, overall sensitivity, and time to first ECG, among others.

A total of 155 patients were enrolled in the study, of whom 60 were randomized to either wearable device. Over a median follow-up of 4 years, the team found no significant device difference between the Apple Watch and the PulseOn devices. Additionally, less frequent device charging was correlated with longer wear time and higher detection sensitivity. Patients also displayed high adherence, further demonstrating the potential feasibility of this strategy in post-stroke care.

While the team included only German patients who were relatively healthy, limiting the generalizability of the results, Uhe and colleagues concluded that wearable use is a feasible complementary method of monitoring AF after stroke. Additionally, longer episode detection was shown to improve with less frequent charging, and no differences between the 2 devices were found.

“We don’t yet have data that show that intensified rhythm monitoring leads to a reduction in recurrent strokes or systemic embolisms, and you should always keep in mind that anticoagulation could result in complications like bleeding,” Uhe said. “I think it first has to be shown that an intensified rhythm monitoring approach will lead to a reduction of heart endpoints.”

Editors’ Note: Uhe reports no relevant disclosures.

Uhe T. Pilot Study for Smartwatch-Driven Atrial Fibrillation Detection in Stroke Patients – Find-AF 2 Watch. Presented at the World Stroke Congress (WSC) 2026, Seoul, South Korea. October 21-23, 2026.

University of Leipzig. SmartWatch-driven AF Detection in Stroke Patients (Find-AF2 Watch). ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06832579. Updated August 26, 2026. Accessed November 3, 2026. 

https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06832579?term=NCT06832579&rank=1

Vaz D. Pilot Study for SmartWatch-Driven Atrial Fibrillation Detection in Stroke Patients: Find AF-2 Trial. Day 1 clinical trials highlights at WSC 2026: WSC 2026 - 18th World Stroke congress. WSC 2026 - 18th World Stroke Congress | 18th World Stroke Congress. October 23, 2026. Accessed November 4, 2026. 

https://worldstrokecongress.org/day-1-clinical-trials-highlights-at-wsc-2026/

Tobias Uhe, MD, discusses the results of the Find-AF 2 Watch trial, examining 2 different smart watches as AF monitors in patients with a recent ischemic stroke.

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...

Arrhythmia

Stroke

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

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 various hobbies. You can reach her at vjohnson@mjhlifesciences.com.

Credit: Allergy, Immunology and Asthma Medical Group

Topical corticosteroids and calcineurin inhibitors remain foundational in 

, but 3 newer nonsteroidal topicals, ruxolitinib, tapinarof, and roflumilast, are now approved down to 2 years of age. Recommendations for these agents differ by specialty, with the 2023 Joint Task Force (JTF) guideline from the allergy societies conditionally recommending against topical Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, while American Academy of Dermatology recommendations reviewed at the forum support all 3 agents.

 Allergists, who often see children whose families suspect a food or environmental trigger, are weighing where these therapies fit alongside traditional options.

In October 2026, Gregory Bensch, MD, an allergist-immunologist at Allergy, Immunology and Asthma Medical Group in Stockton, California, moderated a clinical forum in San Francisco with allergy and immunology clinicians from the Bay Area and Northern California. The discussion covered quality-of-life burden, barriers to treatment, topical treatment sequencing, and efficacy and safety data for the newer nonsteroidal agents.

Atopic Dermatitis Burden and Barriers to Topical Therapy

Participants said most patients with atopic dermatitis they see are children, often brought in by parents seeking an allergic cause, and several said long waits for dermatology appointments push adults toward allergy practices. Itch, pain, and sleep loss for both patients and caregivers were cited as the most burdensome symptoms, along with appearance concerns among adolescents. Several participants said antihistamines do little for atopic dermatitis-related itch beyond sedation.

Participants cited adherence, fear of topical corticosteroids, and concern that nonsteroidal therapies are "immunosuppressive" as common barriers. They said boxed warnings still prompt questions, though less often for calcineurin inhibitors given more than 20 years of experience, and payer requirements were described as the leading obstacle to newer agents. Several said they consult dermatology mainly for uncertain diagnoses, suspected infection, or biopsy.

Topical Treatment Sequencing in Atopic Dermatitis

For infants, participants described starting with low-potency corticosteroids such as desonide ointment or fluocinolone oil, and several said they still use tacrolimus ointment because coverage is easier to obtain. Most said they rarely escalate to high-potency corticosteroids and instead move to a newer nonsteroidal topical once mid-potency corticosteroids fail, with 1 participant arguing that topical corticosteroid efficacy plateaus at medium potency while adverse effects increase. Many described proactive maintenance applications 2 to 3 times weekly on recurrent sites.

Participants said tolerability influences their choice, describing burning with crisaborole but little stinging with the newer agents, including on the face and eyelids. In 1 participant's practice, patients test samples of several nonsteroidal creams on their skin during the visit and choose the most comfortable option. Participants said high body surface area, failure of multiple topicals, involvement of the hands or face, and comorbid type 2 conditions push them toward systemic therapy.

Ruxolitinib, Tapinarof, and Roflumilast in Practice

For ruxolitinib cream, participants reviewed TRuE-AD data showing treatment success in more than half of patients at week 8 and itch reduction within 15 minutes of application.

 Several cited the rapid itch relief as a key benefit, while others noted the JAK inhibitor class boxed warning. Participants said maximal-use pharmacokinetic data were reassuring, though 1 cautioned that absorption may be greater in patients with severe, widespread disease.

For tapinarof cream, participants reviewed ADORING data in moderate to severe atopic dermatitis, including a mean of nearly 80 consecutive treatment-free days in the long-term extension.

 Participants said it works well and is well tolerated, and none reported folliculitis, the most common adverse event in trials. Several valued its once-daily, nongreasy formulation for children with sensory issues, while 1 participant described the long treatment-free intervals as unexplained and worth further study.

For roflumilast cream, participants said efficacy was solid in the INTEGUMENT trials and improved in the open-label extension, though perhaps less rapid than with the other 2 agents.

 They also noted low application-site irritation and the option of twice-weekly maintenance dosing once skin clears. Participants said once-daily dosing with tapinarof and roflumilast is an advantage, since patients prescribed twice-daily therapy often apply it once.

Participants said they typically follow up within 4 to 6 weeks of starting therapy, and 1 suggested distinguishing acute from maintenance treatment, as in asthma. "And I think as we start to understand the neuroimmunology, we will get better at controlling the pain and itching these patients really suffer from," Bensch said.

Chu DK, Schneider L, Asiniwasis RN, et al. Atopic dermatitis (eczema) guidelines: 2023 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology/American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Joint Task Force on Practice Parameters GRADE- and Institute of Medicine-based recommendations. 

. 2024;132(3):274-312. doi:10.1016/j.anai.2023.11.009

Papp K, Szepietowski JC, Kircik L, et al. Efficacy and safety of ruxolitinib cream for the treatment of atopic dermatitis: results from 2 phase 3, randomized, double-blind studies. 

. 2021;85(4):863-872. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2021.04.085

Silverberg JI, Eichenfield LF, Hebert AA, et al. Tapinarof cream 1% once daily: significant efficacy in the treatment of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis in adults and children down to 2 years of age in the pivotal phase 3 ADORING trials. 

. 2024;91(3):457-465. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2024.05.023

Simpson EL, Eichenfield LF, Alonso-Llamazares J, et al. Roflumilast cream, 0.15%, for atopic dermatitis in adults and children: INTEGUMENT-1 and INTEGUMENT-2 randomized clinical trials. 

. 2024;160(11):1161-1170. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2024.3121

Articles

Gregory Bensch, MD, and Bay Area allergy clinicians discuss where ruxolitinib, tapinarof, and roflumilast creams fit after topical corticosteroids.

Atopic Dermatitis

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

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.

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.

Examining Topical Therapy for Atopic Dermatitis: Clinical Forum Perspectives

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.

and immunology. The agency approved a 150 mg oral pellet formulation of berotralstat (Orladeyo) for hereditary angioedema (HAE) prophylaxis in patients aged ≥ 12 years and remibrutinib (Rhapsido) as the first therapy specifically for symptomatic dermographism.

Phase 3 RAPIDe-3 results for oral deucrictibant appeared in 

examined where the Viaskin Peanut Patch would fit after a Biologics License Application (BLA) submission. Coverage also included alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) diagnostic delays, infant anaphylaxis management, and benign delayed penicillin reactions in early childhood. Here are 7 allergy headlines you may have missed.

FDA Approvals in Hereditary Angioedema and Symptomatic Dermographism

FDA Approves Berotralstat Oral Pellets for Adults, Adolescents With HAE

The FDA approved a 150 mg oral pellet formulation of once-daily berotralstat (Orladeyo, BioCryst Pharmaceuticals) for prophylaxis of HAE attacks in patients aged ≥ 12 years, BioCryst announced on October 21, 2026. The pellets offer an alternative for patients who have difficulty swallowing or prefer not to take capsules, and they allow patients who began pellets before age 12 years to remain on the formulation.

The decision rested on chemistry, manufacturing, and controls information, along with safety and tolerability data comparing pellets with capsules. BioCryst did not report new efficacy data for the pellets. In 2 capsule studies, berotralstat 150 mg produced a mean 91% reduction in attack rate at 96 weeks, according to the company.

Remibrutinib Receives FDA Approval for Symptomatic Dermographism

The FDA approved remibrutinib (Rhapsido, Novartis) for adults with symptomatic dermographism inadequately controlled by H1 antihistamines, making the oral Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor the first therapy approved specifically for the condition, according to Novartis. The indication expands remibrutinib beyond chronic spontaneous urticaria at the same 25 mg twice-daily dose.

In the phase 3 RemIND trial, 29.3% (17/58) of patients receiving remibrutinib achieved a complete Total Fric Score response at week 12 vs 14.0% (8/57) with placebo (

Phase 3 Data for On-Demand Hereditary Angioedema Treatment

Oral Deucrictibant Speeds Relief of Hereditary Angioedema Attacks

Oral deucrictibant produced faster symptom relief than placebo for on-demand treatment of HAE attacks in the phase 3 RAPIDe-3 trial, published October 8, 2026, in 

. Median time to onset of symptom relief was 1.28 hours with a 20 mg immediate-release capsule vs > 12 hours with placebo among 88 participants with paired treated attacks (

The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial met all 11 secondary endpoints. Pharvaris reported a Prescription Drug User Fee Act target action date of April 23, 2027, for the bradykinin B2 receptor antagonist.

Alpha-Gal Syndrome, Peanut Allergy, and Infant Anaphylaxis

Alpha-Gal Syndrome Moves North, Yet Diagnoses Lag Behind

As the lone star tick becomes established on Long Island and in Massachusetts, AGS is reaching regions where many clinicians have little experience with it. HCPLive's feature examines why delayed reactions and gastrointestinal-only symptoms can leave patients undiagnosed for months or years, with perspectives from Chirag Patel, MD, of Hackensack Meridian Health; Shaun Cross, PhD, of the University of Nebraska Medical Center; and Benjamin W. Casterline, MD, PhD, of the University of Missouri School of Medicine.

In a 2022 CDC survey of 1,500 health care providers, 42% had never heard of AGS.

Alpha-Gal Syndrome Clues Clinicians Miss, With Chirag Patel, MD

. Patel discusses reaction timing, isolated abdominal pain, and alpha-gal IgE test interpretation.

Viaskin Peanut Patch FAQ: Where It Fits Beside Omalizumab and OIT

DBV Technologies submitted a BLA to the FDA on September 29, 2026, for the Viaskin Peanut Patch in children aged 4 to 7 years with peanut allergy and requested Priority Review. The filing came 2 months after the discontinuation of Palforzia (peanut allergen powder-dnfp), the only FDA-approved oral immunotherapy (OIT) for peanut allergy.

HCPLive's FAQ compares the investigational patch with omalizumab (Xolair) and office-based OIT by age, delivery, foods covered, efficacy data, and trade-offs.

Infant Anaphylaxis Often Resolves After a Single Epinephrine Dose

Anaphylaxis in infants and toddlers presenting to a pediatric emergency department was predominantly food-triggered and tended to resolve after a single intramuscular epinephrine dose, according to a retrospective cohort study in 

. Investigators analyzed 155 patients aged 0 to 24 months seen from June 2019 to June 2022.

Food triggered 96.1% (149/155) of episodes, and skin and mucosal symptoms occurred in 99.4% of patients. Intramuscular epinephrine was administered to 87.1% of patients, 90.4% of whom received a single dose. Most patients (88.4%) were discharged home, and no admitted patient required additional epinephrine after admission.

Penicillin Allergy Delabeling in Children

Delayed Penicillin Rash and Later Autoimmunity, With Eyal Kristal, MD

Benign delayed penicillin hypersensitivity in early childhood was associated with a modest increase in later immune-mediated disease in a nationwide Israeli cohort of 1,375,537 children, according to a research letter in 

. The composite outcome occurred in 6.2% of children with a benign delayed reaction vs 5.4% of those without, and the association persisted after adjustment for prior health care utilization (OR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.03–1.13). The strongest remaining signals were autoimmune cytopenias and Henoch-Schönlein purpura.

Eyal Kristal, MD, of Saban Children's Hospital at Soroka University Medical Center, described the finding as an epidemiological signal requiring no clinical steps and advised clinicians to continue penicillin allergy de-labeling.

October 2026 allergy news: FDA approvals for berotralstat pellets and remibrutinib, RAPIDe-3 data in HAE, alpha-gal syndrome, and Viaskin Peanut Patch.


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.

7 Allergy Headlines You Missed in October 2026

Shakar Kutal is a doctoral researcher at Helsinki University Hospital.

Dietary composition, and more specifically adherence to a plant-rich diet, may significantly reduce the risk of 

Adherence to Plant-Based Mediterranean Diet May Reduce Cryptogenic Stroke Risk

 in Seoul, South Korea, by Shakar Kutal, a doctoral researcher at Helsinki University Hospital. In an exclusive interview with 

, Kutal discussed the implications of his findings – and how they can be adapted to everyday lifestyle interventions for stroke prevention.

“It’s more of general health advice that should be given out to people, suggesting they focus more on plant-based items,” Kutal told 

. “This study isn’t enough to prove that diet should be a bigger preventative measure, but more of a general type of health advice that should be given out to pretty much the entire population.”

Prior evidence has highlighted the connection between dietary patterns and stroke risk. The Mediterranean diet in particular, which is defined as a high intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, olive oil, and fish, has a variety of well-established cardiovascular benefits, and prior meta-analyses have identified a positive relationship between dietary adherence and reduced stroke risk.

However, the etiology of early-onset ischemic stroke is largely undetermined, leading many to be classified as CIS. The specific role of diet as a risk factor in CIS is historically poorly understood; to this end, Kutal and colleagues undertook the present trial to assess the association between early-onset CIS and dietary habits. Patients aged 18-49 with a first-ever CIS were enrolled in the trial and were compared against sex- and age-matched stroke-free controls from 19 European centers.

The team assessed dietary habits via a comprehensive questionnaire, while latent profile analyses identified distinct dietary patterns based on the components of the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS). Kutal and colleagues calculated odds ratios (ORs) for CIS using multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for educational level, age, and traditional and non-traditional risk factors.

A total of 1076 patients were included in the trial, of whom 538 were cases and 538 were controls. Among the case patients, the median age was 41 years (interquartile range [IQR], 34-46), and 47.2% were women. Over the course of the study, Kutal and colleagues found 3 dietary profiles, which included high-adherence (n = 289; mean MDS 30.9), low plant-based (n = 573; lowest vegetable and fruit intake; mean MDS 23.7), and meat-heavy (n = 142; highest meat intake; mean MDS 23.8).

Compared to the high-adherence group, patients in the low plant-based profile were associated with a higher risk of CIS (OR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.01-2.31) after full adjustment. Patients in the meat-heavy profile showed no substantial association with CIS risk, leading the team to conclude that plant incorporation represents a significant modifiable risk factor in this population.

Kutal discussed the potential results of these data, highlighting dietary patterns as a potential biomarker for future research. Given the correlation between plant incorporation and CIS stroke risk, he believes this could be an effective predictor, provided further research supports these results.

“We have validated questionnaires and other measures, but it would be very interesting to have some type of a biomarker that would represent some type of dietary quality, and then studies based on following that,” Kutal said. “It would provide a more objective view towards the health risk of dietary habits.”

Editors’ Note: Kutal reports no relevant disclosures.

Kutal S. Association Between Dietary Habits and Cryptogenic Ischemic Stroke in Young Adults: A Case-Control Study. Presented at the World Stroke Congress (WSC) 2026, Seoul, South Korea. October 21-23, 2026.

Ungvari Z, Fekete M, Varga P, et al. Impact of adherence to the Mediterranean diet on stroke risk. Geroscience. 2025;47(3):3565-3581. 

Shakar Kutal, a doctoral researcher at Helsinki University, discusses his study evaluating the role of dietary factors in early-onset CIS among young adults.

Tim Smith joined the MJH Life Sciences team in 2022 and is currently an associate editor for 

. He is also the executive producer of two podcasts: 

. 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.

Skin clearance and route of administration drove treatment choices among 202 patients with psoriasis in the ENCOMPASS-PP discrete choice experiment.

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.

Oral vs Injectable: How Patients Weigh Systemic Psoriasis Options

Evan Dellon, MD, MPH, is a professor in the division of gastroenterology and hepatology and director of the Center for Esophageal Diseases and Swallowing at UNC School of Medicine.

REMODEL adds esophageal function to the conversation about EoE disease control. Distensibility and esophageal caliber may reveal clinically meaningful changes that symptoms, histology, and visual endoscopy alone cannot fully capture.

Video Series

Applying REMODEL Findings to Esophageal Function in EoE

Alexa B. Kimball, MD, MPH, serves as a professor of dermatology at Harvard Medical School as well as president and CEO of Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. 

Alexa Kimball, MD, MPH, reviews tulisokibart safety in hidradenitis suppurativa, its potential in patients with IBD, and what phase 3 trials must answer.

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.

Q&A: Tulisokibart Safety Findings, IBD Overlap, and Phase 3 Questions in HS

Successful EoE treatment requires more than symptom relief. Symptoms, endoscopic improvement, and histologic control provide complementary measures of response while therapeutic mechanisms target inflammation in different ways.

Defining Treatment Goals and Mechanisms in EoE

In 20 patients with PAH, lower baseline RVEF was linked to greater RV functional recovery and PVR reduction after 24 weeks of sotatercept, per a CHEST 2026 abstract.

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.

Baseline RV Dysfunction May predict Sotatercept response in PAH

Katie Harris, PhD, is a senior research fellow in the professorial unit at the George Institute for Global Health.

Katie Harris, PhD, discusses her MRI substudy of the TRIDENT trial, evaluating the role of T2 lesions, white matter hypersensitivity, and brain volume on dementia.

Smaller Brain Volume, Greater WMH Lead to Cognitive Decline After Intracerebral Hemorrhage

In this segment of her interview, Kimball discusses phase 2b tulisokibart data in hidradenitis suppurativa and the rationale for targeting TL1A.

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