Welcome to The HCPFive, your go-to roundup for the latest healthcare news and breakthroughs, curated specifically for busy healthcare professionals.

Each week, we highlight 5 key developments or headlines from healthcare that you need to know—whether it's a cutting-edge treatment, regulatory updates, or innovations shaping the future of medicine. This week's top stories include the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals of icotrokinra (Icotyde) for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults and pediatric patients ≥ 12 years of age weighing ≥ 40 kg who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy, a new higher dose of semaglutide (Wegovy; Wegovy HD) injection 7.2 mg for weight loss in adults with obesity, and setmelanotide (Imcivree) for acquired hypothalamic obesity in adults and pediatric patients ≥ 4 years of age, as well as phase 3 data supporting retatrutide’s use in type 2 diabetes and finerenone’s role in nondiabetic chronic kidney disease.

With The HCPFive, you'll get the essential takeaways to stay informed and ahead of the curve. Here’s your quick dive into the top stories for the week of March 15, 2026—let’s jump in!

Icotrokinra, an Oral Il-23 Inhibitor, Receives FDA Approval for Psoriasis

On March 18, 2026, the FDA approved Johnson & Johnson’s icotrokinra (Icotyde) for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults and pediatric patients ≥ 12 years of age weighing ≥ 40 kg who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy. The approval marks the first for an oral targeted peptide selectively blocking the IL-23 receptor and introduces a new mechanistic class to the psoriasis treatment landscape backed by data from multiple trials in the phase 3 ICONIC program.

FDA Approves Higher Dose Semaglutide (Wegovy HD) Injection 7.2 mg for Obesity

On March 19, 2026, the FDA approved a new higher dose of Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide (Wegovy; Wegovy HD) injection 7.2 mg to be used along with a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity to help adults with obesity lose weight and keep it off, provided they have tolerated the 2.4 mg dosage for ≥ 4 weeks and additional weight reduction is clinically indicated. The update supplements the existing semaglutide label, which also has distinct indications for semaglutide not offered by any other GLP-1 medication for weight loss.

FDA Approves Setmelanotide (Imcivree) for Acquired Hypothalmic Obesity

On March 19, 2026, the FDA approved an expanded indication for setmelanotide (Imcivree) to treat acquired hypothalamic obesity in adults and pediatric patients ≥ 4 years of age, making it the first and only FDA-approved therapy for this rare condition. The approval was based on data from the global, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 TRANSCEND trial.

Retatrutide Delivers A1C Reduction, Weight Loss in Phase 3 TRANSCEND-T2D-1 Trial

On March 19, 2026, Eli Lilly and Company announced positive topline results from the phase 3 TRANSCEND-T2D-1 trial assessing the efficacy and safety of retatrutide, an investigational first-in-class GIP, GLP-1 and glucagon triple hormone receptor agonist, as an adjunct to diet and exercise in people with type 2 diabetes and inadequate glycemic control. In the study, retatrutide met the primary and all key secondary endpoints, delivering superior A1C reduction and weight loss at 40 weeks compared to placebo, using both the efficacy and treatment-regimen estimands.

Finerenone Proves CKD Benefit Extends Beyond Diabetes in FIND-CKD

On March 16, 2026, Bayer announced the phase 3 FIND-CKD trial evaluating finerenone (Kerendia) in adult patients with nondiabetic chronic kidney disease met its primary endpoint, demonstrating a statistically significant improvement in eGFR slope versus placebo over 32 months. The company indicated it plans to submit the data to the FDA to seek a label expansion into this patient population, which would represent the broadest application of the agent to date across a CKD program now spanning > 20,000 patients in phase 3 trials.

Articles

Five near-term practice-shaping developments span dermatology, obesity medicine, endocrinology, and nephrology. FDA cleared icotrokinra, a first-in-class oral peptide IL‑23 receptor blocker, for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adults and adolescents meeting weight thresholds. Semaglutide received a higher 7.2 mg Wegovy HD dose option for adults with obesity after demonstrated tolerability at 2.4 mg. Setmelanotide gained the first approval for acquired hypothalamic obesity down to age 4. Retatrutide phase 3 data showed robust A1C and weight effects in type 2 diabetes. Finerenone improved eGFR slope in nondiabetic CKD, supporting label expansion.

Stay updated with the latest healthcare breakthroughs, including FDA actions and new phase 3 data, in this week’s essential news roundup.

News

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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.

Obesity Management

Obesity Management condition center page, resources on the topics of medical news and expert insight into clinical weight management can be found. Content includes articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, and breaking news on obesity research, treatment, and drug development.

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.

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.

The HCPFive: Top News for Healthcare Providers from the Week of 03/15

David Fleischer, MD, professor of pediatrics at Children’s Hospital Colorado.

VIASKIN Peanut Patch Shows Strong Desensitization in Phase 3 Trial, With David Fleischer, MD

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI)

 annual meeting in Philadelphia highlight the potential of the VIASKIN peanut patch, DBV Technologies’ epicutaneous immunotherapy containing 250 µg of peanut protein (1/1000th of 1 peanut kernel), as a practical, noninvasive option for children with 

. In the phase 3 VITESSE trial, the largest food allergy immunotherapy study to date, 82.8% of children receiving this peanut patch (VP250) increased their eliciting dose over 12 months.

“[With] that increase in eliciting dose, we know it's working,” David Fleischer, MD, professor of pediatrics at Children’s Hospital Colorado and global principal investigator of the VITESSE trial, told 

during the meeting. “Hopefully, it translates into protection from peanut allergic reactions.”

The study, conducted across 87 sites in Australia, Canada, Europe, and the US, sought to assess the efficacy and safety of VP250 in peanut-allergic children aged 4 – 7 years (baseline peanut eliciting dose ≤ 100 mg, psIgE > 0.7 kUA/L, and a skin prick test ≥ 6 mm). Children were randomized to receive either VP250 (n = 438; 60.5% males; mean age, 5.7 years) or placebo (n = 216; 65.7% males; mean age, 5.7 years).

VITESSE met its primary endpoint, with 46.3% of treated children (baseline eliciting dose of ≤ 30 mg) classified as responders compared with 14.7% in the placebo group (

 <.0001). Among children with a baseline eliciting dose of 100 mg, 43.1% were responders versus 14.6% in the placebo group. Beyond that primary outcome, most patients experienced measurable improvement: approximately 82.8% increased their eliciting dose over 12 months (versus 48% on placebo), and 60% improved by ≥ 2 dose levels during food challenge testing (versus 23.4% on placebo).

Unlike oral immunotherapy, which requires strict dosing protocols and activity restrictions, epicutaneous immunotherapy offers a simplified approach. The VIASKIN peanut patch delivers a small, fixed dose of allergen through the skin, without the need for dose escalation, dietary timing considerations, or limitations on exercise or illness.

Fleischer said the ease of use helps with adherence rates, which exceeded 96% in the trial. The safety profile remained favorable, with most treatment-emergent adverse events being mild, localized skin reactions. Serious adverse events were rare, and rates of treatment-related anaphylaxis were low.

Nearly 4 times as many children in the placebo arm experienced a decline in their eliciting dose over the study period compared to the patch arm (24% vs 6.4%). This finding reinforces the natural history of peanut allergy, which rarely resolves spontaneously.

“Only about 20% outgrow peanut allergy, and it shows that patients can get worse in the sense that their reaction threshold can lower over time,” Fleischer said. “It's all the importance in starting these therapies early…If only 1 in 5 outgrow it, we want to definitely try to protect these patients…we may be able to get them to the point where they can eat peanut[s] freely in their diet. That's the ultimate goal with these therapies.”

DBV Technologies has indicated plans to submit a Biologics License Application to the FDA in 2026.

Relevant disclosures for Fleischer include DBV Technologies, ARS Pharmaceuticals; UpToDate, Bryn Pharma, Aquestive Therapeutics, Nasus, and Genentech, and Grow Happy.

DBV Technologies Highlights Additional Data from Successful Phase 3 VITESSE Study at the AAAAI 2026 Annual Meeting. DBV Technologies. Published February 28, 2026. Accessed March 20, 2026. 

https://dbv-technologies.com/press_releases/dbv-technologies-highlights-additional-data-from-successful-phase-3-vitesse-study-at-the-aaaai-2026-annual-meeting/

Videos

Phase 3 VITESSE data show VIASKIN peanut patch improves tolerance in most children, with high adherence and a favorable safety profile.

Conference

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

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

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

Takeaways on Icotrokinra and FDA approval and Psoriasis for Clinicians, With Linda Stein Gold, MD

Takeaways on Icotrokinra and Psoriasis for Clinicians, With Linda Stein Gold, MD

In the second part of her interview, Linda Stein Gold, MD, of Henry Ford Health System, touched on the gap between what topicals can realistically offer and when systemic therapy should enter the picture, how icotrokinra's oral profile can change the conversation among hesitant patients, and where she hopes the research goes following the 

US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval

 editorial team what primary care clinicians should take away about recognizing when a psoriasis patient has outgrown topical therapy, Stein Gold opened with a candid observation about a pattern she sees across the field: treatment inertia.

“We tend to have treatment inertia,” Stein Gold said. “When it comes to our psoriasis patients, we put them on a topical medication. Maybe they're not doing so well, so maybe we think about another topical medication, and we don't always progress to a systemic medication, probably as quickly as we need to first.”

Her message to primary care providers suggests when topical therapy is not delivering meaningful improvement, it may be time to consider a systemic option rather than cycling through more of the same. This framing set up Stein Gold’s response to the second question, which inquired as to how a clinician might reopen the systemic therapy conversation with a patient who has previously declined injectables.

Stein Gold's answer centered on what icotrokinra can provide as an oral agent. She pointed to the nature of psoriasis as a systemic disease driven by systemic inflammation, particularly in those living with moderate to severe plaque involvement, and that treating the whole patient means addressing that underlying pathway rather than managing surface symptoms alone.

Icotrokinra targets the interleukin (IL)-23 receptor, which she described as a key receptor in a pathway now well understood and recognized as central to the pathogenesis of psoriasis. For individuals who have resisted treatment escalation because of a fear of injections, Stein Gold pointed to icotrokinra's once-daily oral dosing on an empty stomach in the morning as removing the primary barrier.

Efficacy begins within the initial few weeks of use and builds through the primary 16-week endpoint and beyond. The trial data, Stein Gold noted, gives her genuine confidence in recommending the drug to systemic candidates across age cohorts. On the question of what she hopes comes next for icotrokinra research, Stein Gold was specific and forward-looking.

She expressed hope for continued investigation into psoriatic arthritis (PsA), described as the natural next step in research on icotrokinra given how central the IL-23 pathway is to both skin and joint disease. She also made a point of flagging the pediatric age gap. While the current FDA approval extends down to age 12, she noted psoriasis does not begin at 12 and describes an oral option for an even younger population as a meaningful advance.

Disclosures: Stein Gold has reported serving as an investigator, advisor, or speaker for AbbVie, Amgen, Arctis, Bristol Myers Squibb, Dermavant, Eli Lilly, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, Pfizer, and UCB. AWA has served as a research investigator, scientific advisor, or speaker to AbbVie, Amgen, Arcutis, BMS, Boehringer Ingelheim, Dermavant Sciences, Eli Lilly, Galderma, Incyte, Johnson & Johnson, Leo Pharma, Novartis, Parexel, Pfizer, Regeneron, Sanofi, Takeda, and UCB. RB is an advisory board member, consultant, speaker, investigator for, or received honoraria or grants from AbbVie, Alumis, Amgen, AnaptysBio, Arcutis, BMS/Celgene, Eli Lilly, Johnson & Johnson, LEO Pharma, Organon, Nimbus, Takeda, UCB, VentyxBio, Vyne, Xencor, and Zurabio, and is also an employee and shareholder of Innovaderm Research.

Campbell P. Icotrokinra, an Oral Il-23 Inhibitor, Receives FDA Approval for Psoriasis. HCPLive. March 18, 2026. Accessed March 20, 2026. 

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

Johnson and Johnson. FDA approves ICOTYDE (icotrokinra), the first and only targeted oral peptide IL-23 receptor antagonist, for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Press release. Published March 18, 2026. Accessed March 20, 2026. 

https://www.jnj.com/media-center/press-releases

After the oral IL-23 inhibitor icotrokinra's (Icotyde) FDA approval, this interview covers what primary care clinicians should conclude.


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.

Senior Allergy Dietitian at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Clinician-Scientist Fellow at MCRI & Honorary Senior Research Fellow at Melbourne University,

TreEAT: Clinical Implications, Screening Practices, and Next Steps, With Vicki McWilliam, MND, PhD

View part one of our conversation with McWilliam here.

Routine pre-screening of peanut-allergic infants for tree nut sensitization risks over-calling true allergy — and the TreEAT data offer quantitative support for that concern, with approximately 33% of infants sensitized to tree nuts at baseline yet true clinical allergy rates of just 12.4% (n = 11/89; 95% CI, 6.3–21.0%) in the home introduction arm and 18.9% (n = 18/95; 95% CI, 11.6–28.3%) in the multi-nut OFC arm on food challenge confirmation. Much of the reported ~30% peanut co-allergy rate cited in the tree nut literature, McWilliam suggested, may reflect sensitization rates rather than true allergy — an important distinction with direct implications for how allergists counsel families in clinic.

 2026 Annual Meeting held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from February 27 to March 2, she walked through the practical clinical takeaways from the preliminary TreEAT data and outlined the evidence gaps she most wants to address in follow-up work. On shared decision-making, her core message was that whichever introduction method a family chooses — supervised multi-nut OFC or graded home introduction — the data support that both can be pursued safely. No infant across either arm of the 212-patient single-center trial experienced anaphylaxis, providing a meaningful safety floor for clinicians having these conversations. McWilliam did note an important caveat around generalizability: the study's home introduction success rate likely reflects the heightened support families received as trial participants, and real-world uptake without that scaffolding may look different — consistent with the clinic observation that only about 25% of families were willing to attempt home introduction unprompted prior to the study.

McWilliam also flagged the study's limitations openly: single-center, conducted in Melbourne, and with a primary outcome assessed only at 18 months — a timepoint at which the immune system remains plastic and allergy status may still be in flux. Peanut allergy resolution was observed in 26.3% (n = 25/95; 95% CI, 18.0–36.7%) of the multi-nut OFC arm and 30.3% (n = 27/89; 95% CI, 22.0–42.1%) in the home introduction arm — broadly consistent with the approximately 20% resolution rate reported in the broader literature, and with co-allergy to tree nuts lower than previously reported figures. The unresolved question is whether infants who did not maintain ongoing nut exposure following the intervention have since developed further allergies — something only longer follow-up can answer. McWilliam described active efforts to secure funding for follow-up assessments at ages four and five, where those children now sit, with a full primary outcome paper expected for publication later this year.

“It was really reassuring to know out of those 200 infants that were introducing the tree nuts, either via home introduction or the malting up butter, we're not having anaphylaxis. So that was quite reassuring that whatever method we do with our families, that we've got a fair amount of safety data now to be able to say that this is something we're comfortable to do,” McWilliam said.

McWilliam’s reported disclosures include Nutricia

McWilliam V, Parker K, Koplin J, et al. The TreEat Study: A Randomized Controlled Trial Investigating the Efficacy and Safety of Early Introduction of Tree Nuts for the Prevention of Tree Nut Allergy in Infants with Peanut Allergy. Presented at: AAAAI 2026 Annual Meeting, February 27-March 2, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Abstract #L15

A clip from the inaugural episode of ABCs in Dermatology exploring what drew our hosts to dermatology

ABCs in Dermatology: Our Hosts' Journeys to Dermatology

 introduces co-hosts Lindsay Ackerman, MD, and Chris Bunick, MD, PhD, through a discussion that reflects the diverse pathways that ultimately lead clinicians into the field. In the opening conversation, both hosts share how early academic exposure, clinical experiences, and mentorship shaped their decisions to pursue dermatology, offering insight into the intellectual and human elements that define the specialty.

Bunick describes how his background in molecular research, specifically in nucleotide excision repair and the role of the XPC protein in DNA damage, first connected him to dermatology through its relevance to skin cancer biology. Although his initial impressions of the field were not favorable, a later clinical rotation and the influence of a mentor specializing in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma reframed his perspective, highlighting the combination of scientific depth and patient impact that dermatology offers.

Ackerman’s path similarly began with early research exposure, working in a cutaneous oncology clinic studying melanoma susceptibility during her undergraduate years. Her experience in medical school further broadened her perspective, as she explored multiple specialties before recognizing dermatology’s ability to integrate elements of internal medicine, surgery, and longitudinal patient care. She emphasizes the specialty’s unique capacity to address a wide spectrum of disease while maintaining a strong connection with patients through visible and tangible manifestations of illness.

Together, their discussion underscores the role of mentorship, clinical exposure, and interdisciplinary interest in shaping careers in dermatology, while also highlighting the field’s balance of complexity, procedural skill, and patient-centered care.

Relevant disclosures for Bunick include AbbVie, South Beach Symposium, Almirall, Apogee Therapeutics, Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Daiichi Sankyo, Eli Lilly, LEO Pharma, US, Novan, Novartis, Ortho Dermatologics, Palvella Therapeutics, Pfizer Inc., Sanofi, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Timber Pharmaceuticals, and UCB. Relevant disclosures for Ackerman include AbbVie, Alumis, Amgen, Arcutis, Beiersdorf, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Dermavant, Galderma, L'Oréal, Novartis, Sun Pharmaceutical, and UCB.

Hosts reveal how research, mentors, and clinic rotations spark a passion for skin disease and what makes dermatology unique.

Experts discuss the most clinically meaningful changes in the 2026 international urticaria guideline update, including the expanded step-up therapy framework and the current limitations of biomarkers in routine CSU practice.

Video Series

Special Reports

CSU Management Updates: 2026 Guidelines and Latest Data

A clip from an episode of ABCs in Dermatology showcases perspective into the personal lives of hosts Chris Bunick, MD, PhD, and Lindsay Ackerman, MD.

ABCs in Dermatology: Getting to Know Your Hosts

Adam Kichler, DO, is a gastroenterologist and advanced endoscopist at Allegheny Health Network.

Kichler notes that EPI is frequently overlooked in patients with symptoms resembling IBD or celiac disease and offers key insights on diagnosis and management.

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.

Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency

The HCPLive Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies.

Diagnostic Challenges and Clinical Nuance of EPI, With Adam Kichler, DO

Christine Limonte is an assistant professor at UW Medicine and a study investigator for the Kidney Precision Medicine Project.

Chronic Kidney Disease

Rethinking Diabetic and Hypertensive CKD Through the Lens of Precision Medicine

Professor of Immunology and Allergy at Imperial College London and 
European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Secretary General

Shamji shared the factors influencing which treatments are best for each patient and further research he'd like to see.

Seasonal Allergy

PQ Grass Allergy Immunotherapy: Shared Decision-Making and What's Next, With Mohamed Shamji, PhD

Balázs Szigeti, PhD, from the Translational Psychedelic Research Program at University of California San Francisco (UCSF)

Meta-analysis shows psychedelic-assisted therapy offers similar symptom improvement to open-label antidepressants under equal unblinding conditions.


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.

Psychedelic Therapy Matches Efficacy of Antidepressants in MDD, With Balázs Szigeti, PhD

Abigail Brooks is an assistant managing editor for 

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

The approval is based on results from the STEP UP trial program showing substantial weight loss in adults with obesity. 

FDA News

Doug Simonetto, MD, is a Mayo Clinic transplant hepatologist.

AI-enabled ECG may help detect liver disease earlier, offering a new path to close diagnostic gaps and shift toward preventive hepatology in clinical practice.

Hepatology

Improving Early Liver Disease Diagnosis With AI ECG, With Doug Simonetto, MD

Allergist-immunologist at Yale New Haven Hospital

Su described how NNAALs drive management decisions in pregnancy and post partum care.

Non-Narcotic Analgesic Allergy Labels in Pregnancy Drive Suboptimal Care and Adverse Outcomes, With Chang Su, MD

The first-in-class GIP, GLP-1 and glucagon triple hormone receptor agonist delivered superior A1C reduction and weight loss at 40 weeks in people with type 2 diabetes.

Latest News

The HCPFive: Top News for Healthcare Providers from the Week of 03/15

VIASKIN Peanut Patch Shows Strong Desensitization in Phase 3 Trial, With David Fleischer, MD

Takeaways on Icotrokinra and Psoriasis for Clinicians, With Linda Stein Gold, MD

TreEAT: Clinical Implications, Screening Practices, and Next Steps, With Vicki McWilliam, MND, PhD

ABCs in Dermatology: Our Hosts' Journeys to Dermatology