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Common anemia drugs may help slow cancer growth and progression

Common medications used to treat anemia may also slow down cancer cell growth, according to new research from Finland.

28 May 2026

Scientists rethink GLP-1 delivery to improve dosing, tolerability, and adherence

The review highlights nanocarriers, microspheres, hydrogels, microneedles, long-acting formulations, and co-formulations as promising but mostly early-stage strategies that still require stronger long-term clinical evidence.

27 May 2026

Vaginal bromocriptine may ease pain and heavy bleeding in adenomyosis

A pilot randomized controlled trial found that vaginal bromocriptine reduced menstrual bleeding, pelvic pain, menstrual duration, and cycle irregularity in women with adenomyosis compared with routine treatment.

27 May 2026

One-time gene editing cuts LDL cholesterol in early hypercholesterolemia trial

A phase 1 NEJM interim analysis found that a single infusion of the investigational base-editing therapy VERVE-102 produced dose-dependent reductions in circulating PCSK9 protein and LDL cholesterol in adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia or premature coronary artery disease.

26 May 2026

Retatrutide reshapes metabolism in obesity and type 2 diabetes, study finds

Retatrutide altered circulating metabolites and lipids linked to fatty acid oxidation and insulin resistance in people with obesity, with or without type 2 diabetes. These biomarker changes suggest improved metabolic health, but the post-hoc analysis remains hypothesis-generating and does not prove direct clinical benefit.

26 May 2026

Could blocking inflammation help treat difficult-to-treat depression?

A small proof-of-concept RCT found that tocilizumab, an IL-6 receptor blocker, showed a non-significant but clinically suggestive pattern of improvement in difficult-to-treat depression linked to low-grade inflammation. The study found that baseline hs-CRP, rather than IL-6, may help identify patients most likely to respond, supporting larger trials of immune-targeted depression care.

22 May 2026

Oral AD109 improves sleep apnea severity but tolerability remains a challenge

AD109, an investigational once-daily oral combination of aroxybutynin and atomoxetine, significantly improved airway obstruction and oxygenation in adults with mild-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea who could not use PAP therapy. However, symptom improvements did not clearly differ from placebo, and about one in five AD109 recipients discontinued treatment due to adverse events.

21 May 2026

GLP-1 drugs may help curb addiction by targeting reward pathways

GLP-1 receptor agonists, already used for Type 2 diabetes and obesity, show promise in reducing alcohol and drug-seeking behaviors through central reward and dopamine-related pathways. Most evidence remains preclinical, with limited early human data, so larger clinical trials are needed before these drugs can be recommended for addiction treatment.

21 May 2026

$Calcium and vitamin D supplements show limited fracture prevention benefits$

Calcium and vitamin D supplements show limited fracture prevention benefits

Calcium, vitamin D, or combined supplements offer little to no clinically meaningful benefit on fracture and fall prevention in most older people, finds an in-depth review of the latest evidence published by The BMJ today.

20 May 2026

Ensitrelvir cuts household COVID-19 risk when given after exposure

Ensitrelvir, an oral SARS-CoV-2 3C-like protease inhibitor, reduced symptomatic RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 among household contacts when given within 72 hours after symptom onset in the infected index patient. In the phase 3 SCORPIO-PEP trial, COVID-19 occurred in 2.9% of ensitrelvir recipients versus 9.0% of placebo recipients, with similar overall adverse-event rates.

20 May 2026

Researchers identity patients with exceptional tirzepatide response outcomes

Tirzepatide GLP-1 medication is known to improve sleep apnea for people with both obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and obesity, but not all patients benefit equally.

19 May 2026

Neighborhood demographics heavily influence how Americans choose their pharmacies

An estimated 15.8 million people in the United States live in pharmacy deserts. With limited access to healthcare services, like hospitals and pharmacies, these individuals are at risk of elevated mortality risk and higher rates of preventable disease progression.

19 May 2026

Leucovorin use for autism surged after public promotion campaigns

Researchers from the University of California San Diego found that prescriptions for leucovorin, a drug sometimes used off-label for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), rose sharply among children after widespread media attention and public statements from White House officials.

19 May 2026

How antibody-drug conjugates are redefining targeted cancer therapy

Antibody-drug conjugates are rapidly expanding cancer therapies, with 19 approved globally and many more in development, but their success depends on better targets, payloads, linkers, dosing, and patient selection. The Cell review shows that next-generation ADCs could widen treatment options, but safety, resistance, tumor heterogeneity, and clinical translation remain major barriers.

19 May 2026

New therapies could help type 1 diabetes care move beyond insulin alone

Disease-modifying therapies for type 1 diabetes are beginning to move care beyond insulin replacement by targeting immune dysregulation, beta-cell stress, and preservation of endogenous beta-cell function. Teplizumab marks a major clinical milestone, but the review emphasizes that durable metabolic remission will likely require earlier screening, better patient selection, and sequential or combination therapies.

18 May 2026

ExiVex reports in-human pharmacokinetic data showing EMRX-101 intranasal naloxone approaches IV-like peak plasma concentrations with substantially faster Tmax than currently approved comparator

ExiVex Biopharma (formerly EmerRx Biopharma), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing a proprietary dual-chamber intranasal drug delivery platform, today announced in-human pharmacokinetic (PK) data for its lead candidate EMRX-101, an intranasal naloxone product targeting opioid-induced respiratory depression.

From Hanson Wade Group - 4th Nasal Formulation & Delivery Summit 15 May 2026

GLP-1 obesity drugs mainly reduce fat while preserving muscle mass

New research to be presented at the European Congress on Obesity (ECO2026) in Istanbul, Turkey (12–15 May) shows that following treatment with GLP-1 drugs for obesity, most weight loss is fat mass (80–85%) and relative muscle mass is preserved.

13 May 2026

Expert questions benefits of new UK drug approval pathway

A new UK drug approval pathway, designed to speed up the availability of new medicines, benefits industry over patients and the NHS, argues an expert in The BMJ today.

13 May 2026

Once-daily orforglipron helps preserve weight loss after semaglutide or tirzepatide

Oral orforglipron helped adults maintain clinically meaningful weight loss after prior injectable tirzepatide or semaglutide therapy. The phase 3b ATTAIN-MAINTAIN trial suggests switching to once-daily oral therapy may help reduce weight regain when injectable treatment is discontinued.

13 May 2026

Could GLP-1 drugs help breast cancer patients live longer?

A large retrospective cohort study of adult female breast cancer patients found that GLP-1 receptor agonist use was associated with better all-cause survival and recurrence-free survival in patients with obesity or type 2 diabetes. The strongest associations were seen versus non-use in obesity and versus insulin or metformin in type 2 diabetes, while comparisons with SGLT2 inhibitors were less consistent and require further study.

12 May 2026