Pancreatitis News and Research

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Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas is a large gland behind the stomach and close to the duodenum—the first part of the small intestine. The pancreas secretes digestive juices, or enzymes, into the duodenum through a tube called the pancreatic duct. Pancreatic enzymes join with bile—a liquid produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder—to digest food. The pancreas also releases the hormones insulin and glucagon into the bloodstream. These hormones help the body regulate the glucose it takes from food for energy.

Normally, digestive enzymes secreted by the pancreas do not become active until they reach the small intestine. But when the pancreas is inflamed, the enzymes inside it attack and damage the tissues that produce them.

Pancreatitis can be acute or chronic. Either form is serious and can lead to complications. In severe cases, bleeding, infection, and permanent tissue damage may occur.

New role for GLP-1 drugs: Improving survival in people with severe psychiatric disorders

This editorial argues that GLP-1 receptor agonists could substantially improve healthspan and reduce premature mortality in people with serious mental illnesses by targeting cardiometabolic risk rather than psychiatric symptoms alone. It highlights emerging evidence, safety considerations, and equity challenges that position GLP-1 RAs as a promising public health strategy for this high-risk population.

25 Jan 2026

New oral drug safely lowers triglycerides and other blood lipids in Phase 1 trial

In a Phase 1 clinical study, researchers led by EPFL and their partners report that a new liver- and gut-targeted oral drug can safely lower triglycerides and other blood lipids.

16 Jan 2026

Most Americans still back early hepatitis B vaccination despite policy debate

On December 5, 2025, the Trump administration's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), whose members were handpicked by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary and vaccination critic Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is scheduled to determine whether it should recommend that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) change the recommendation in place since 1991 that newborns be vaccinated against hepatitis B.

5 Dec 2025

Study compares GLP-1 drug benefits and finds substantial variation in clinical effects

GLP-1 receptor agonists improve glycaemic control and provide renal, metabolic, and selective cardiovascular benefits in people with type 2 diabetes, based on an umbrella review of 17 meta-analyses. However, these agents consistently increase gastrointestinal adverse effects and show important distinctions between class-level outcomes and individual drug effects, particularly for semaglutide.

20 Nov 2025

New precision therapies reshape the future of pancreatitis treatment

Pancreatitis remains a major global health burden, encompassing acute pancreatitis (AP), chronic pancreatitis (CP), and autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP).

11 Nov 2025

Novel triple receptor agonist shows potent efficacy in lowering high triglycerides

In a small, short duration trial (12 weeks), a new medication called DR10624 reduced triglyceride levels in most patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia by more than 60%, according to a preliminary late-breaking science presentation today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2025.

11 Nov 2025

Weight loss drugs used by patients with high triglycerides do not increase pancreatitis risk

In a major new study, researchers from Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City have found that weight loss drugs used by patients who have high triglycerides do not increase their risk of pancreatitis or adverse cardiac events.

10 Nov 2025

Triglyceride-lowering drug can also decrease the risk of acute pancreatitis

Researchers from Mass General Brigham have found that olezarsen-a drug designed to lower triglyceride levels-can also decrease the risk of acute pancreatitis, a potential complication in patients with severely elevated triglyceride levels.

10 Nov 2025

GLP-1 drugs calm inflammation beyond diabetes and weight loss

This Journal of Clinical Investigation review describes how glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)–based medicines reduce systemic and tissue inflammation through both weight-dependent and weight-independent mechanisms. It details preclinical and clinical evidence linking GLP-1 receptor activation to cardiovascular, renal, hepatic, neural, and joint anti-inflammatory effects while outlining uncertainties and future research needs.

4 Nov 2025

Georgia State scientist receives $25,000 grant to develop mechanisms for treating obesity

Chong Hyun Shin, a research associate professor in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University, has received a $25,000 grant to develop mechanisms for treating obesity and obesity-related metabolic dysfunctions.

23 Sep 2025

Daily orforglipron GLP-1 pill achieves over 11% weight loss in global obesity trial

In a phase 3 trial, once-daily oral orforglipron induced significant, dose-dependent weight loss over 72 weeks in adults with obesity but no diabetes. It also improved multiple cardiometabolic markers with a safety profile similar to other GLP-1 receptor agonists.

18 Sep 2025

New genetic test redefines diagnosis and management of hereditary pancreatitis

A new genetic test developed at Mayo Clinic is redefining how clinicians diagnose and manage hereditary pancreatitis.

11 Sep 2025

Diabetes drugs linked to higher risk of rare optic nerve damage

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14 Aug 2025

NYU Langone Hospital—Suffolk performs first robotic cancer surgeries

Continuing its transformation since joining NYU Langone Health, the operative team at NYU Langone Hospital—Suffolk recently performed four complex robotic surgeries that had never been offered at the facility before, three of which successfully removed cancerous tumors from patients.

13 Aug 2025

Blocking CREB may prevent alcohol-related pancreatic cancer

Despite increasing evidence linking alcohol consumption to cancer, little is known about the biological mechanisms behind the association.

12 Aug 2025

Which GLP-1 meds have the most side effects? Study of 60,000 Facebook posts gives answers

Researchers analyzed nearly 60,000 public Facebook posts to identify real-world adverse events linked to GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) medications. Gastrointestinal symptoms were most common, while mental health concerns and tirzepatide-specific side effects were also flagged.

28 Jul 2025

ChatGPT matches radiologists in pancreatic cyst analysis

Artificial intelligence (AI) models such as ChatGPT are designed to rapidly process data. Using the AI ChatGPT-4 platform to extract and analyze specific data points from the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans of patients with pancreatic cysts, researchers found near-perfect accuracy when compared directly against the manual approach of chart review performed by radiologists, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS).

15 Jul 2025

New guidance helps GPs manage patients using weight loss drugs

Academics at King's College London and the University of East Anglia have released guidance for GPs on how to manage patients who may be privately accessing weight loss drugs.

25 Jun 2025

Cagrilintide and semaglutide together drive record weight loss in global trial

A 68-week phase 3 trial found that coadministered cagrilintide and semaglutide led to significant and clinically meaningful weight loss in adults with obesity but no diabetes. The combination outperformed either drug alone and improved multiple cardiometabolic health markers.

23 Jun 2025

Amycretin delivers unprecedented weight loss in early trial for obesity treatment

Once-weekly amycretin, a novel peptide activating GLP-1, amylin, and calcitonin receptors, produced rapid, substantial, and sustained weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity during a phase 1b/2a trial. The treatment was generally well tolerated, with mostly mild to moderate gastrointestinal side effects, supporting further investigation in larger, longer studies.