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.

 has approved brepocitinib (Lisraya) tablets for the treatment of dermatomyositis in adults, adding a once-daily oral Janus kinase (JAK/TYK2) inhibitor specifically studied in this population.¹

Dermatomyositis has historically been managed with therapies developed for other conditions, leaving specialists without an agent evaluated specifically in this population.¹ Brepocitinib's approval, granted to Priovant Therapeutics Inc, adds an on-label oral option backed by dedicated phase 3 data.¹ The FDA granted Lisraya Orphan Drug and Priority Review designations ahead of this decision.¹

"For too long, patients with dermatomyositis have faced a significant unmet need for effective treatments, often relying on therapies meant for other diseases," Nikolay Nikolov, MD, director of the Office of Immunology and Inflammation, FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a statement. "Today's approval is a meaningful step forward, giving patients and their healthcare providers an approved oral therapy proven to help manage this rare and debilitating disease."

Brepocitinib Efficacy in Phase 3 Dermatomyositis Trial

The approval rests on a phase 3 randomized, double-blind, multicenter, placebo-controlled trial (NCT05437263) enrolling 241 adults with dermatomyositis.² Investigators randomized participants to brepocitinib 30 mg once daily, brepocitinib 15 mg once daily, or placebo across a 52-week treatment period.¹ Evaluating both doses against placebo allowed investigators to compare dose-dependent efficacy and tolerability within the same trial.¹

The primary endpoint was Total Improvement Score (TIS) at week 52, a composite measure spanning 6 domains.¹ Those domains include muscle strength, physical function, skin and other disease activity, muscle enzymes, and physician and patient global assessments of overall health.¹ Participants treated with brepocitinib 30 mg achieved a higher average TIS at week 52 than those receiving placebo, reflecting greater clinical response and disease control.¹

Brepocitinib inhibits Janus kinase and TYK2 signaling, pathways central to the immune and inflammatory activity underlying dermatomyositis.¹ By blocking this signaling, the therapy is designed to reduce inflammation driving muscle and skin involvement.¹ The FDA based its approval on this mechanism together with the trial's clinical results.¹

Brepocitinib Safety Profile and Secondary Outcomes in Dermatomyositis

Participants receiving brepocitinib 30 mg also showed improvements in physical function and skin disease activity relative to placebo through week 52.¹ They were more likely to reduce corticosteroid use by week 48 than participants receiving placebo, a secondary marker of disease control beyond the primary TIS outcome.¹

The most common adverse reactions with brepocitinib were upper respiratory tract infection, headache, fatigue, urinary tract infection, and nausea.¹ Discontinuation due to adverse reactions occurred in 6% of participants treated with brepocitinib 30 mg compared with 11% of those receiving placebo.¹ Lisraya carries a boxed warning for serious infections, increased all-cause mortality, malignancies, major adverse cardiovascular events, and thrombosis.¹

These safety findings sit alongside the efficacy data supporting the FDA's Priority Review and Orphan Drug designations for Lisraya.¹ The boxed warning applies across the approved labeling and is consistent with warnings seen with other JAK inhibitors.¹

Brepocitinib's approval gives clinicians a dedicated on-label agent for a population previously managed largely with regimens developed for other diseases.¹ Priovant Therapeutics Inc holds the approval for Lisraya in this indication.¹ The label covers adults with dermatomyositis, reflecting the population enrolled in the pivotal phase 3 trial.¹

FDA. FDA Approves First Oral Drug Indicated to Treat Dermatomyositis in Adults. August 27, 2026. 

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-oral-drug-indicated-treat-dermatomyositis-adults

ClinicalTrials.gov. A study to evaluate brepocitinib in adult patients with dermatomyositis. NCT05437263. Accessed August 27, 2026. 

https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05437263

Articles

The approval adds brepocitinib (Lisraya), an oral JAK/TYK2 inhibitor, as the first agent specifically studied and approved for dermatomyositis in adults.

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.

News

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Clinical

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FDA News

FDA Approves First Oral Treatment of Dermatomyositis in Adult Patients

In a special episode of Kidney Compass, Shikha Wadhwani, MD, MS, puts her regular co-host, Brendan Neuen, MBBS, PhD, in the "hot seat," asking him about results from FIND-CKD, the phase 3 trial showing finerenone slows eGFR decline and cuts cardiorenal risk by 23% in non-diabetic 

 over 32 months of follow-up, including the prespecified glomerulonephritis (GN) subgroup analysis he presented at the European Renal Association (ERA) Congress in June. 

Kidney Compass: Finerenone Cuts Cardiorenal Risk 23% in FIND-CKD

FIND-CKD was published simultaneously in the New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, and The Lancet. The conversation covers why the trial was needed, its design and population, the primary GFR slope findings, the GN-specific results, safety, and where finerenone fits alongside other guideline-directed therapies going forward.

Filling a Treatment Gap in Non-Diabetic Kidney Disease

Wadhwani opens by asking Neuen to frame how far kidney disease management has come. Neuen notes diabetic kidney disease now has 4 proven therapies, the "4 pillars": renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibition, sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs), and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists. Non-diabetic kidney disease, by contrast, has had only SGLT2 inhibitors added on top of RAS inhibitors, despite non-diabetic causes accounting for most CKD worldwide.

Neuen points to FIDELIO and FIGARO, which established finerenone's benefit in diabetic kidney disease. As he describes it, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonism works "by blocking the impact of aldosterone excess" to reduce inflammation and fibrosis, a mechanism unrelated to glycemic control. That rationale is what led to testing whether the same mechanism could benefit non-diabetic kidney disease.

Neuen adds that FIND-CKD was designed in 2020, before DAPA-CKD had reported, when SGLT2 inhibitors were neither widely recommended nor broadly available. About 17% of participants were on an SGLT2 inhibitor at baseline, a proportion that rose considerably over the trial as standard of care shifted.

Inside the FIND-CKD Trial: Endpoints, Population, and Powering

Neuen describes FIND-CKD as a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 1,584 patients across 24 countries with non-diabetic CKD, an eGFR of 25 to 60 mL/min/1.73 m² and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) of 200 to 500 mg/g, or an eGFR ≥ 25 mL/min/1.73 m² with UACR > 500 mg/g. All participants were on maximum tolerated RAS inhibition, and SGLT2 inhibitor use was permitted. Diabetic kidney disease, heart failure with a guideline indication for an MRA, and glomerular disease treated with immunosuppression in the prior 6 months were excluded.

Neuen explains the trial used total GFR slope as its primary endpoint, powered to detect a 0.7 mL/min/1.73 m² per year improvement, the treatment effect observed in FIDELIO, which prior work from Lesley Inker and colleagues in the CKD-EPI consortium had linked to an expected 23% relative risk reduction in clinical events. Wadhwani asks Neuen to address the choice of total versus chronic slope; Neuen notes total slope, which includes both the acute and chronic treatment effect, is the more validated surrogate for kidney outcomes, though chronic slope remains clinically informative over longer time horizons.

Baseline characteristics: mean age was about 55 years, roughly two-thirds were men, and about half of participants were enrolled from Asia. Mean eGFR was 47 mL/min/1.73 m², and median UACR was 820 mg/g. Neuen describes this as a lower cardiovascular-risk population than prior kidney outcome trials, with a lower prevalence of atherosclerotic disease and heart failure than in FLOW or DAPA-CKD, and no participants with diabetes.

Finerenone Slows eGFR Decline and Cuts Cardiorenal Risk

Neuen reports a 0.7 mL/min/1.73 m² per year improvement in total GFR slope with finerenone versus placebo over 32 months of follow-up, consistent regardless of cause of kidney disease, eGFR, albuminuria level, or SGLT2 inhibitor use. Chronic slope, which excludes the acute effect, showed a larger 1.2 mL/min/1.73 m² per year improvement, also consistent across subgroups.

On the key secondary composite endpoint, a sustained 57% decline in eGFR (equivalent to a doubling of serum creatinine), kidney failure, heart failure hospitalization, or cardiovascular death, Neuen reports a statistically significant 23% relative risk reduction, matching the effect size the trial was powered to detect. Additional findings included a roughly 40% reduction in albuminuria at 12 months, a modest blood pressure reduction, and a mean potassium increase of approximately 0.12 mmol/L. Neuen contextualizes the 0.7 mL/min/1.73 m² per year slope effect against SGLT2 inhibitor data in non-diabetic CKD, where DAPA-CKD and EMPA-KIDNEY showed effects of about 0.5 to 0.6 mL/min/1.73 m² per year, suggesting finerenone's effect is at least comparable and supports a role for combination therapy.

Wadhwani points out that, unlike in some glomerular disease-specific trials, the placebo arm in FIND-CKD showed essentially no reduction in albuminuria, which she attributes to participants already being on maximized RAS inhibition at enrollment. That contrast, she says, makes finerenone's proteinuria-lowering effect more clinically meaningful, and notes the effect appeared quickly and was sustained through follow-up.

Benefit Holds Across Glomerulonephritis Subtypes

About 60% of FIND-CKD participants (903 of 1,584) had an investigator-reported GN diagnosis, including 416 with IgA nephropathy, 215 with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), and 90 with membranous nephropathy. Neuen notes these patients were younger, more often female, and had higher eGFR, higher proteinuria, and higher SGLT2 inhibitor use at baseline than the rest of the cohort.

In the GN subgroup, the total slope benefit was consistent with the overall trial at 0.7 mL/min/1.73 m² per year. For the exploratory outcome of a 40% eGFR decline or kidney failure, chosen because it occurred more frequently in this subgroup, Neuen reports a 26% relative risk reduction, alongside a 40% reduction in albuminuria. These effects held regardless of SGLT2 inhibitor use or specific GN diagnosis, with no evidence of interaction by disease type.

About 80% of the GN subgroup had an available, reported biopsy, with a median time from biopsy of about 3.5 years. Restricting the analysis to biopsy-confirmed cases produced consistent, and in some cases slightly larger and more precise, treatment effects. Neuen says the consistency wasn't surprising: mineralocorticoid receptor antagonism is "a final common pathway across many forms of kidney disease," so a treatment effect that holds regardless of the underlying diagnosis fits the mechanism.

Wadhwani raises the question of immunosuppression exclusion criteria, asking whether Neuen would design the trial differently today. Neuen says kidney outcome trials are now more inclusive of patients on stable immunological therapy, since MRA treatment and immunological therapy target different, complementary pathways with no mechanistic reason to conflict.

Hyperkalemia Risk Stays Manageable, Discontinuations Rare

Neuen reports the overall safety profile was consistent with finerenone's established data from FIDELIO and FIGARO, in which more than 13,000 patients were followed over a median of 3 years. Hyperkalemia occurred more often with finerenone than placebo (about 17% versus 13%), but discontinuation due to hyperkalemia was uncommon, at approximately 1%. Safety findings in the GN subgroup were consistent with the overall trial.

Pooled Data Point to a Broader Role for Finerenone

Neuen frames finerenone as addressing common downstream pathways of kidney injury rather than the immunological drivers specific to diseases like IgA nephropathy, positioning it as complementary to, rather than competitive with, disease-modifying immunological therapies, including emerging B-cell-directed treatments. He points to persistent residual proteinuria as a long-term risk even when immunological therapy controls disease activity, and to heart failure, rather than myocardial infarction or stroke, as the dominant modifiable cardiovascular risk in this population.

Neuen also describes a pooled analysis combining FIDELIO, FIGARO, and FIND-CKD across roughly 14,500 participants with diabetic and non-diabetic kidney disease. Pooled results showed a 24% reduction in kidney disease progression (doubling of serum creatinine or kidney failure) and a 23% reduction in need for dialysis or transplantation.

On cardiovascular and mortality outcomes, the pooled analysis showed a 20% reduction in heart failure hospitalization or cardiovascular death, an 18% reduction in cardiovascular death, and a 12% reduction in all-cause mortality, with consistent effects regardless of cause of kidney disease, kidney function, or SGLT2 inhibitor use. Neuen says the results support finerenone "as a foundational guideline-directed therapy in kidney disease alongside SGLT2 inhibitors."

Wadhwani notes that in glomerulonephritis, biopsy often comes years after disease onset, meaning many patients have already lost significant kidney function by the time they're diagnosed. Neuen agrees, adding that this reality argues for using finerenone alongside immunological therapy rather than waiting for earlier diagnosis to guide treatment. Both discuss combining finerenone with SGLT2 inhibitors and emerging immunological or endothelin receptor antagonist therapies as the likely path forward for high-risk patients. Neuen previews a deeper dive into FIND-CKD biomarker and subgroup data, including primary versus secondary FSGS, at the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) meeting later this year.

Editors' Note: Disclosures for Wadhwani include Boehringer Ingelheim, Calliditas Therapeutics, GSK, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Travere Therapeutics, and others. Disclosures for Neuen include AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Janssen, and others.

Heerspink HJL, Neuen BL, Agarwal R, et al. Finerenone in persons with chronic kidney disease without diabetes. N Engl J Med. Published online June 4, 2026. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2604625

Neuen BL, Perkovic V, Agarwal R, et al. Finerenone in patients with chronic kidney disease due to glomerular diseases: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2026;336(3):224-235. doi:10.1001/jama.2026.9923

Neuen BL, Heerspink HJL, Perkovic V, et al. Efficacy and safety of finerenone in patients with chronic kidney disease: an individual participant data pooled analysis (INFINITY). Lancet. 2026;407(10546):2375-2386. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(26)01009-3

Bakris GL, Agarwal R, Anker SD, et al. Effect of finerenone on chronic kidney disease outcomes in type 2 diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2020;383:2219-2229. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2025845

Bayer. Phase III FIND-CKD results show Bayer's Kerendia (finerenone) improved eGFR slope and reduced risk of a composite kidney-cardiovascular outcome in adults with non-diabetic chronic kidney disease. Press release. June 5, 2026. 

https://www.bayer.com/en/us/news-stories/kerendia-for-non-diabetic-chronic-kidney-disease

Podcasts

Brendan Neuen, MBBS, PhD, joins Shikha Wadhwani, MD, MS, to unpack FIND-CKD's GN subgroup data and 23% risk reduction.

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

Nephrology

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

Chronic Kidney Disease

Kidney Compass: Navigating Clinical Trials

Hosted by Brendon Neuen, MBBS, PhD, and Shikha Wadhwani, MD, MS, Kidney Compass: Navigating Clinical Trials is a regular podcast exploring and breaking down the latest updates and nuances of clinical trials in nephrology. By listening to Kidney Compass, you'll get the guidance you need to navigate the changing landscape of clinical trials across the spectrum of kidney disease. 

Kidney Compass: FIND-CKD Extends Finerenone's Benefit to Non-Diabetic CKD

Saakshi Khattri, MD, is a board certified Dermatologist, Rheumatologist and Internist and one of only a handful of triple board-certified physicians across the US.

 approved icotrokinra (Icotyde), the first oral interleukin-23 receptor antagonist, in March 2026, and phase 3 data on the TYK2 inhibitors zasocitinib and envudeucitinib now show skin-clearance rates approaching those of injectable biologics.

Saakshi Khattri, MD, associate professor of 

 at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, spoke with 

 about these developments in the psoriasis space, discussing the shift during Psoriasis Awareness and Action Month, observed each August.

Oral Treatment Advances and Weight-Loss Drugs in Psoriasis, With Saakshi Khattri, MD

At the 2026 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting, investigators presented phase 3 findings from the TOGETHER-PsA trial (NCT06588296), pairing tirzepatide (Zepbound) with ixekizumab (Taltz) in patients with psoriatic arthritis and obesity or overweight status. The trial adds randomized evidence to a combination strategy already used selectively in psoriatic arthritis clinics.

"We know psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis patients have metabolic syndrome, and they tend to have a high BMI, and there's data to support that patients with a higher BMI necessarily don't respond as robustly to systemic options that we have, or they are more recalcitrant to options that would otherwise work for somebody that has a lower BMI," Khattri said.

Among 271 adults with active psoriatic arthritis and a body mass index of 27 kg/m² or higher, 31.7% on combination therapy achieved simultaneous ACR50 response and at least 10% weight loss at week 36, compared with 0.8% on ixekizumab alone (

 < .001). ACR50 alone was reached by 33.5% of the combination group versus 20.4% with monotherapy (

 = .02). Khattri said more of her patients now request combination therapy, and she advocates for adding a weight-loss medication when patients meet BMI and comorbidity criteria.

In the phase 3 LATITUDE PsO 3001 and 3002 trials (NCT06088043, NCT06108544), zasocitinib produced a 90% reduction in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score (PASI 90) in 61.3% and 51.9% of patients at week 16, versus 16.8% and 15.9% with apremilast. Envudeucitinib (ESK-001), studied in the ONWARD1 and ONWARD2 trials (NCT06586112, NCT06588738), reached roughly 65% PASI 90 and 40% complete clearance by week 24. Icotrokinra's pivotal program reported about 65% of patients reaching clear or almost-clear skin and 50% reaching PASI 90 at week 16.

Editor's Note: This transcript has been edited for grammar and clarity using artificial intelligence tools. Khattri’s relevant financial disclosures include LEO Pharma, Galderma, Eli Lilly, and Johnson & Johnson.

Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Zasocitinib delivered rapid and durable skin clearance in phase 3 trials (LATITUDE PsO 3001/3002, NCT06088043, NCT06108544). 2026.

Johnson & Johnson. FDA approval of ICOTYDE (icotrokinra) ushers in new era for first-line systemic treatment of plaque psoriasis. March 18, 2026.

Dermatology Times. Phase 3 ONWARD data position envudeucitinib as high-efficacy oral TYK2 inhibitor in psoriasis (ONWARD1/ONWARD2, NCT06586112, NCT06588738). 2026.

Merola J. TOGETHER-PsA: Ixekizumab + Tirzepatide Deliver Superior Efficacy Over Biologic Monotherapy, With Joseph Merola, MD. Rheumatology Live. August 27, 2026. 

https://www.rheum-live.com/view/together-psa-ixekizumab-tirzepatide-deliver-superior-efficacy-over-biologic-monotherapy-with-joseph-merola-md

Videos

Saakshi Khattri, MD, discusses new oral psoriasis options and AAD 2026 weight-loss combination-therapy data in psoriatic disease.

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.

Mahboobeh Mahdavinia, MD, PhD, a board-certified allergist/immunologist from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

A multicenter cohort study of 1359 children with 

found resolution rates varying sharply by allergen, from 35% for milk to 3.8% for peanut, with socioeconomic disadvantage, lower parental health literacy, and racial and ethnic disparities associated with lower odds of resolution.¹

The findings come from FORWARD, a multicenter observational registry enrolling children aged ≤12 years with an IgE-mediated food allergy across multiple US sites.¹ Prior cohort work established broad patterns, showing milk, egg, and wheat allergies tend to resolve, while peanut, tree nut, shellfish, and fish allergies tend to persist, without clarifying which patient and family-level factors drive resolution within a given allergen. The new analysis is among the largest to model socioeconomic and demographic predictors of food allergy resolution directly.

"This data gives us guidance for counseling," investigator Mahboobeh Mahdavinia, MD, PhD, a board-certified allergist/immunologist from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, told 

 "When a child tests positive for egg allergy, there is always a but, meaning we can try to resolve it, and most likely the child will not grow up with an egg allergy. When it is peanut, it is a different conversation."

Socioeconomic, Racial Disparities Linked to Food Allergy Resolution

Food Allergy Resolution Rates by Allergen in FORWARD

FORWARD enrolled 1359 children with physician-diagnosed IgE-mediated food allergy, using caregiver surveys collected at enrollment alongside electronic health record data.¹ Investigators compared demographic and clinical characteristics between children who reported resolution of ≥ 1 food allergy and those who did not, then built multivariable logistic regression models adjusting for race and ethnicity, household income, parental health literacy scores (HLS), and area deprivation index (ADI).¹

Resolution rates diverged widely by allergen. Milk allergy resolved in 35% of children, soy in 32%, and wheat in 27%, while peanut allergy resolved in only 3.8% and shellfish allergy in 3.5%.¹ Mahdavinia attributed the gap to a combination of biology and management practice.

She explained that milk and egg proteins break down more readily with heat, enabling graded oral introduction through home-based "ladder" desensitization protocols. Both milk and egg are harder to eliminate entirely from a household, creating incidental low-level exposure; this is less likely to happen with peanut, tree nut, shellfish, or fish. She also said that the age of allergen introduction, rather than the age of allergy onset, may also shape the likelihood of eventual resolution.

Socioeconomic and Racial Disparities in Food Allergy Resolution

Which food allergies are most likely to resolve in children?


Milk, soy, and wheat allergies resolved far more often than peanut or shellfish allergy in the FORWARD cohort, at 35%, 32%, and 27% versus 3.8% and 3.5%, respectively.

What factors are associated with lower rates of food allergy resolution?


Lower household income, lower parental health literacy, higher area deprivation index, and Black or Hispanic race and ethnicity were independently associated with lower odds of food allergy resolution in adjusted models.

How should clinicians counsel families about outgrowing a food allergy?


Clinicians can tailor expectations by allergen, noting milk and egg allergy carry a meaningfully higher chance of resolution than peanut or shellfish allergy, while considering socioeconomic barriers a family may face in accessing desensitization strategies.

White children reported resolution of food allergy more frequently than Black and Hispanic children across all common allergens studied.¹

“I don't think they're biologically different,” Mahdavinia said. “Honestly, the more and more we do research, [the more the] human race is just one race. Race…is just a social construct.”

In adjusted models, children who did not resolve any of the 9 common food or food-group allergies were more likely to come from families with lower household income, lower parental HLS, and higher ADI, a composite measure of neighborhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage.¹ The study reported that socioeconomic disadvantage, parental health literacy, and racial and ethnic disparities were independently associated with a lower likelihood of food allergy resolution in this cohort.¹

Editor’s note: Reported disclosures for Mahdavinia include Eli Lilly and Company, GENZYME CORPORATION, Blueprint Medicines Corporation, Regeneron Healthcare Solutions, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc., Grifols USA, CSL Behring, Pharming Healthcare, Inc., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, and Paratek Pharmaceuticals.

Dileep A, Bilaver LA, Warren C, et al. Factors associated with outgrowing food allergies: insights from a large food allergy cohort. 

Derman C. Race, Income, and Health Literacy Tied to Food Allergy Resolution. HCPLive. Published August 17, 2026. Accessed August 27, 2026. 

https://www.hcplive.com/view/race-income-health-literacy-food-allergy-resolution

Mahboobeh Mahdavinia, MD, PhD, discusses new FORWARD data showing peanut and shellfish allergies resolve far less often than milk, soy, or wheat.

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

LEADderm 2026 is set to take place August 29–30, 2026, at the Pendry Hotel in Newport Beach, California, bringing together dermatologists, physician associates, nurse practitioners, and industry partners for 2 days of programming centered on leadership, community, and diversity in 

Founded and chaired by Jennifer Soung, MD, LEADderm distinguishes itself from traditional dermatology meetings by prioritizing skills rarely addressed in clinical training, including mentorship, negotiation, practice culture, and career development, alongside sessions on artificial intelligence, patient communication, and emerging therapeutics.

“I started this conference because I realized that while we are trained to be masters of the skin, being a great doctor takes more than just clinical knowledge,” Soung wrote on the conference website.

 “Modern medicine requires us to be masters of the "human" side, too—like leadership, empathy, and innovation. LEADderm is here to bridge that gap and help us provide even better care.”

Sound created the meeting to address what organizers call the ‘missing curriculum’: leadership, empathy, and innovation skills that shape practice culture and patient trust but are not typically covered in traditional dermatology training. The conference’s program is built around a central thesis that better leadership translates directly to better patient care, and that investing in physicians as leaders is a prerequisite for delivering the highest standard of clinical care.

Organizers positioned the meeting as a venue for clinicians to develop the professional tools that influence patient relationships, practice culture, and physician fulfillment, alongside traditional clinical updates. In 2025, LEADderm drew more than 130 attendees and 20 faculty members, expanding beyond conventional clinical content to explore topics including artificial intelligence applications, emotional intelligence, and mentorship strategies.

What to Expect at LEADderm 2026 in Newport Beach:

This year's agenda spans leadership development, professional growth, and clinical education, with sessions addressing chairwoman-level perspectives on culture change, coachability, negotiation, social media strategy, and the integration of artificial intelligence into medical education. Sponsored sessions from various pharmaceutical companies will also cover pipeline therapies and disease-state education across psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa, and molluscum contagiosum.

Attendees can expect a mix of keynote-style leadership talks, panel discussions, and case-driven clinical sessions designed to strengthen both practice management skills and patient care delivery.

 will be on-site throughout the conference, filming and releasing on-site interviews with faculty and key opinion leaders at LEADderm. Additionally, there will be coverage of standout sessions and reporting on clinical and career-development takeaways shared during the meeting.

Redefining Culture: A Chairwoman's Perspective on Leading Change

From Content to Credibility: Social Media for the Modern Dermatologist

 Steven Daveluy, MD, FAAD; Dustin Portela, DO; Wallace Nozile, MD

Skin Angels at LEADderm: Building the Next Generation of Dermatology Innovation

Manju Dawkins, MD; Buu Duong, MD; Ross Levy, MD; Peter Lio, MD; Ross Lane Pearlman, MD

From Posters to Prompting: Reimagining Medical Education in the Era of Artificial Intelligence

The Anatomy of Trust: Cultivating Practice Health from the Inside Out

Negotiating Everything: From Your First Contract to Everyday Wins with Teams and Patients

Check out HCPLive’s coverage of the conference from August 29-30, 2026.

About | LEADderm. LEADderm. Accessed August 26, 2026. https://www.leadderm.org/about.

LEADderm 2026 brings dermatology leaders to Newport Beach, California, August 29-30, for sessions on leadership, AI in education, and career growth.

Conference

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

Conference Preview: 2026 LEADderm Conference in Newport Beach, CA

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.

The Phase 3 CROSSING trial showed tezepelumab improved histologic remission and dysphagia symptoms through week 52 in eosinophilic esophagitis.

Tezepelumab Meets Co-Primary Endpoints in Phase 3 EoE Trial

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.

A phase 2 study found the EAP regimen achieved optimal stem cell mobilization in most patients with multiple myeloma or lymphoma, with low plerixafor need.

Hematology

Chemotherapy Regimen Improves Stem Cell Mobilization in Myeloma, Lymphoma

Jonathan Downar, MD, PhD, FRCPC, associate professor of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto and co-founder of Ampa.

Downar outlines the randomized trial needed to confirm optimal TMS dosing and addresses a safety ceiling on total pulses.

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.

What the Next Accelerated TMS Trial Should Test, With Jonathan Downar, MD

Ali Mehdi, MD, MEd, is a board-certified nephrologist at Cleveland Clinic, where he also serves as assistant professor of medicine at the Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University.

Cleveland Clinic's Ali Mehdi, MD, MEd, on the limits of current IgA nephropathy risk tools and where phenotyping could take treatment next.

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.

Strategic Alliance Partnership

Why IgA Nephropathy Risk Stratification Still Falls Short

Baseline structural damage accounted for most of the variance in placebo-arm radiographic progression across 6 PsA trials.

Trial Design Drives Radiographic Outcomes Across IL-23 Inhibitors in PsA

Laura J. Maursetter, MD, discusses why early kidney disease screening and continuity of care are especially critical for justice-involved patients.


Why CKD Treatment Should Start Earlier, Last Longer for Incarcerated Persons

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.

In this episode of Diabetes Dialogue, co-hosts Diana Isaacs, PharmD, and Natalie Bellini, DNP, are joined by Casey Halpern, MD, to discuss SynchNeuro's investigational, non-invasive EEG-based glucose monitor.

Type 2 Diabetes

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.

This page also hosts content previously published by EndocrinologyNetwork. 


Diabetes Dialogue

Diabetes Dialogue: Technology, Therapeutics, & Real-World Perspectives is a 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.

Diabetes Dialogue: Non-Invasive EEG Sensor Aims to Track Glucose in Real Time

Jennifer A. Dantzer, MD, MHS, assistant professor of pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

IMPACT-PLuS investigator Jennifer A. Dantzer says predictive biomarkers and formal remission testing remain unanswered questions in peanut OIT.

Peanut OIT Follow-Up Study Highlights Gaps in Allergy Remission Research

In this episode, co-hosts Isaacs and Bellini are joined by Eden Miller, DO, and Davida Kruger, NP, to discuss the FDA's recent clearance of the FreeStyle Libre Duo ketone monitor.

Type 1 Diabetes

Diabetes Dialogue: FreeStyle Libre Duo Cleared for Ketone Monitoring

Daraxonrasib (Rasonque) extended median survival to 13.2 months versus 6.7 months with chemotherapy in a phase 3 trial.

Gastroenterology

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.

Latest News

FDA Approves First Oral Treatment of Dermatomyositis in Adult Patients

Kidney Compass: FIND-CKD Extends Finerenone's Benefit to Non-Diabetic CKD

Oral Treatment Advances and Weight-Loss Drugs in Psoriasis, With Saakshi Khattri, MD

Socioeconomic, Racial Disparities Linked to Food Allergy Resolution

Conference Preview: 2026 LEADderm Conference in Newport Beach, CA