Metformin News and Research

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Metformin is the active ingredient in a drug used to treat diabetes mellitus (a condition in which the body cannot control the level of sugar in the blood). It is also being studied in the treatment of cancer. It decreases the amount of glucose (a type of sugar) released into the bloodstream from the liver and increases the body’s use of the glucose. Metformin is a type of antidiabetic agent.

Researchers explore "block and lock" strategy for functional HIV cure

For millions of people living with HIV, a daily regimen of medications is a lifelong necessity. If they stop taking the drugs-commonly referred to as antiretroviral therapy-the virus usually rushes back within weeks.

23 Mar 2026

How one antibiotic dose can reshape your gut microbiome for years

Long-term registry-linked analysis of nearly 15,000 adults shows that antibiotic use is associated with persistent changes in gut microbiome diversity and composition for up to 4–8 years. These effects vary by antibiotic class, with clindamycin, fluoroquinolones, and flucloxacillin showing the strongest and most sustained associations.

17 Mar 2026

Why do some people respond better to GLP-1 drugs? Gut microbiome may hold clues

A review in the Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology examines emerging evidence linking glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), the gut microbiome, and obesity treatment outcomes. The authors conclude that microbiome changes seen during therapy are most likely driven by diet, behavior, and weight loss, although microbial profiling may eventually help predict patient responses.

15 Mar 2026

Postbiotics may help treat PCOS by restoring microbiome balance

Emerging studies suggest postbiotics could aid PCOS management by restoring gut microbiome balance and enhancing insulin sensitivity and hormonal regulation.

10 Mar 2026

How are GLP-1 drugs reshaping treatment for obesity, diabetes, and heart disease?

A comprehensive Lancet review synthesizes evidence from major clinical trials showing that GLP-1 receptor agonists and next-generation incretin therapies deliver substantial weight loss while reducing cardiovascular and kidney risks. Emerging dual, triple, and oral agents may further expand treatment options and improve outcomes across obesity, type 2 diabetes, and related metabolic diseases.

3 Mar 2026

ARPA-H-funded PROSPR program focuses on the biological hallmarks of aging

Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health has received an award as part of the PROactive Solutions for Prolonging Resilience (PROSPR) program within the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to accelerate research on the biological hallmarks of aging.

24 Feb 2026

Longevity treatments extend life but affect variation in age-at-death

A key goal in aging research is not just to extend life, but to ensure more people live longer and healthier lives with less variation in age-at-death; a concept known as "squaring the survival curve."

24 Feb 2026

Gut microbiome may shape response to GLP-1 drugs, new review suggests

This review examines how GLP-1 receptor agonists and the gut microbiome influence one another through bile acid signaling, short-chain fatty acids, and inflammatory pathways. It explores how microbial composition may shape treatment response and highlights the need for controlled human studies to enable microbiome-informed precision therapy.

19 Feb 2026

Gut bacteria patterns help predict insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes, study finds

Researchers used 16S rRNA sequencing and machine learning to identify gut microbiome patterns associated with insulin resistance severity in people with type 2 diabetes. XGBoost models showed that specific bacterial genera, including Bacteroides and Faecalibacterium, help distinguish individuals with higher insulin resistance from healthy controls.

19 Feb 2026

Metformin linked to lower odds of intermediate macular degeneration in people with diabetes

A five-year image-based study in people with type 2 diabetes found metformin use was associated with lower odds of developing intermediate age-related macular degeneration. The observational findings suggest a potential protective link but do not establish causation and warrant prospective clinical trials.

4 Feb 2026

A common diabetes drug may prevent long COVID when taken early

Research supports metformin's efficacy in reducing long COVID symptoms, suggesting its use in acute COVID-19 cases could alleviate long-term health impacts.

3 Feb 2026

Everday diabetes medicine linked to less progression of age-related macular degeneration

Doctors have found that metformin, an everyday medicine for diabetes, is associated with less progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the commonest cause of blindness in western countries.

3 Feb 2026

Sex-specific analysis uncovers unique disease pathways and treatment implications

Biological differences between women and men led to variations in the appearance and progression of many diseases, which influenced diagnosis and response to treatments.

31 Jan 2026

Two isoforms of a cellular energy sensor play distinct, opposing roles in Alzheimer's disease

A comprehensive mini-review published today after peer review in Brain Medicine by Dr. Tao Ma and colleagues at Wake Forest University School of Medicine synthesizes emerging evidence that two isoforms of a critical cellular energy sensor play distinct, and sometimes opposing, roles in Alzheimer's disease.

6 Jan 2026

Study validates OVCAR3 as a model for high-grade serous ovarian cancer

A new research paper was published in Volume 12 of Oncoscience on October 14, 2025, titled "Bridging clinical insight and laboratory model in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) using DNA sequencing-based profiling of TP53."

23 Dec 2025

ACE2 protein may play a protective role against high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes

A collaborative study from the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences (LMS) and Imperial College London has found that the protein ACE2 may play a protective role against two common conditions, high blood pressure and type-2 diabetes, which affect millions of people worldwide.

19 Dec 2025

How diabetes medications may influence cancer risk and progression

Diabetes, particularly Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM), has been linked to an increased risk of various cancers, including liver, colorectal, and breast cancer.

18 Dec 2025

How Traditional Chinese Medicine may reshape the gut microbiome to ease insulin resistance in PCOS

This review synthesizes evidence that gut microbiota dysbiosis contributes to insulin resistance and symptom severity in polycystic ovary syndrome through impaired barrier function, inflammation, and altered microbial metabolites. It evaluates how Traditional Chinese Medicine may modulate these pathways while highlighting major gaps in clinical validation, safety, and standardization.

16 Dec 2025

New in vitro platform predicts drug toxicity, improving cancer treatment safety

Overcoming acquired treatment resistance is one of the major challenges in the fight against cancer. While combination therapies hold promise, their toxicity to healthy tissue remains a major hurdle. To anticipate these risks, researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) have developed in vitro models of the kidneys, liver, and heart - three organs particularly sensitive to such therapies.