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As GLP-1 drugs become more complex, their effects on the heart are getting harder to predict

A brief report reviews emerging GLP-1 receptor co-agonists that also target GIPR, GCGR, and other receptors, examining their metabolic benefits alongside known and predicted cardiac effects. The authors highlight substantial species differences, warning that mouse heart studies may fail to predict responses in human cardiac tissue and that many proposed cardiac effects still require direct testing.

24 Sep 2026

GLP-1 drugs may influence chronic pain through gut-brain and immune pathways

Researchers reviewed evidence linking GLP-1 and GLP-1 receptor agonists to chronic pain modulation through gut microbial, neuroimmune, vagal, and metabolic pathways, with the strongest clinical evidence currently involving knee osteoarthritis and idiopathic intracranial hypertension headache. Much of the proposed biology remains supported by preclinical research, and human studies have yet to establish that GLP-1RA-induced changes in the gut microbiome directly cause pain relief.

24 Sep 2026

Advances in chemistry and delivery are taking oligonucleotide medicines beyond rare diseases

A review in Cell Reports Medicine examines how advances in oligonucleotide chemistry and delivery have established ASOs and RNA interference therapies as a class of genetic medicines, with 21 oligonucleotides approved at the time of writing. It also identifies extrahepatic delivery, safety, target validation, individualized treatment, and data quality as priorities as the field expands into common diseases and explores AI-assisted development.

24 Sep 2026

Semaglutide’s heart benefits may extend beyond weight loss

Semaglutide is known to reduce the risk of serious heart disease. However, a new study published in the European Heart Journal today (Thursday) suggests that this effect cannot not be entirely explained by patients losing weight on the drug.

23 Sep 2026

Screening approved medicines reveals potential treatments for preterm labor

Shajila Siricilla, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, and Jennifer Herington, PhD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, led a team that systematically screened 1,191 FDA-approved drugs and found that several candidates met criteria supporting further evaluation as potential treatments for preterm labor.

23 Sep 2026

WSU study reveals acute effects of cannabis on physiological stress-related outcomes

Cannabis is often used as a stress reliever, but a new study suggests that some of the body's stress response systems don't get the message.

23 Sep 2026

Pharmacist-led reviews improve medication strategies for older cancer patients

There is a pressing need to optimize medication strategies in older adults with cancer, many of whom take ≥5 medications.

23 Sep 2026

WashU expert analyzes FTC settlements with major pharmacy benefit managers

The Federal Trade Commission's settlements with two of the nation's largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) could change how the companies do business, but they may not do enough to lower prescription drug costs for patients and employers, according to a health law expert at Washington University in St. Louis.

22 Sep 2026

Study finds gaps in language support for medication instructions

Pharmacies that receive federal funds must provide language support to make sure patients can understand their medication instructions.

21 Sep 2026

Experimental RNA therapy enhances weight loss while preserving lean muscle

GLP-1 drugs have revolutionized obesity treatment, but they can lead people to lose muscle mass along with fat. And when patients stop treatment, they often regain their weight - primarily as fat.

21 Sep 2026

Looking for GLP-1 advice online? Likes may tell you less than you think

Researchers assessed 128 videos about GLP-1 medications on Douyin and Bilibili and found that Bilibili videos scored higher on two measures of reliability and transparency. Longer videos received higher quality scores, while popularity did not consistently reflect information quality.

21 Sep 2026

A 194-country analysis reveals gaps in how late childhood vaccinations are tracked

A global analysis of WHO/UNICEF data from 194 countries found wide variation in countries’ ability to record delayed childhood vaccinations, with 64% of reporting countries saying they could capture late doses in 2022. Following birth cohorts over time and adding delayed MCV1 doses raised median coverage estimates by 3.6 to 5.1 percentage points across available cohort years, though incomplete and inconsistent reporting limited confidence in some estimates.

21 Sep 2026

Mifepristone offers effective emergency contraception with fewer side effects

Emergency contraception containing mifepristone prevents more pregnancies with fewer side effects than some other common emergency contraceptive pills such as levonorgestrel, according to a new Cochrane review involving 87 trials.

20 Sep 2026

Researchers mine cobra toxins to uncover a membrane-disrupting antimicrobial peptide

Researchers combined toxin sequence mining with machine learning and deep-learning prediction tools to identify and experimentally test 14 antimicrobial peptide candidates derived from cobra cardiotoxins. Most candidates showed limited antibacterial potency, while CTX-p5 displayed moderate membrane-disrupting activity, revealing both the potential and current limitations of computationally guided venom peptide discovery.

17 Sep 2026

Study highlights drop in harmful medication use among adults with cognitive disorders

Adults 65 and older with cognitive disorders such as dementia, are more likely to suffer negative effects from drugs that treat central nervous system conditions including anxiety, sleep problems and psychosis.

17 Sep 2026

GLP-1 drugs and SGLT-2 inhibitors linked to slower kidney decline

The diabetes drugs glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists and sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor drugs may also help to slow decline in kidney function in people with type 2 diabetes and albuminuria (high protein levels in the urine), finds a large US study published by The BMJ today.

17 Sep 2026

Experts call for eating-disorder screening before GLP-1 treatment

An international multidisciplinary panel developed consensus-based recommendations for GLP-1 receptor agonist use in people with eating disorders, calling for screening, individualized monitoring, patient education, and further research into safety and potential therapeutic effects. The experts cautioned that current evidence remains limited and inconsistent, particularly outside binge eating disorder, and identified major gaps in understanding the risk of new or recurrent eating disorders during treatment.

16 Sep 2026

Targeted antibody therapy provides long-lasting relief from neuropathic pain

Pain is a natural protective mechanism that alerts the body to actual or potential injury. But when nerves themselves are damaged, they can generate abnormal pain signals even in the absence of a new injury.

16 Sep 2026

New treatment option approved in Japan for rare genetic liver disorders

A new indication for an existing drug has been approved in Japan to treat patients with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC) types 1 and 2, a group of rare genetic liver disorders.

15 Sep 2026

Add-on drug lumateperone boosts sexual function in patients with depression

Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and an inadequate response to standard antidepressants who received an add- on treatment with the drug lumateperone saw significantly improved sexual function, found a new study led by a University of Virginia School of Medicine researcher.

15 Sep 2026