Curated news and analysis on clinical trials, drug approvals, and medical research.
The FDA announced a full reassessment of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), a chemical preservative used in packaged foods, to determine if it remains safe based on current science. The review follows decades of concerns about BHA being listed as "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen."
A trial at Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town tested DM199, a drug originally developed for stroke, in pregnant women with severe preeclampsia. The drug stabilized dangerously high blood pressure after researchers found the effective dose in the 16th patient.
Obesity contributes to about 1 in every 4 infectious disease deaths in the United States and 1 in 10 globally, according to a major study. People with obesity face 70% higher risk of hospitalization or death from infections, with risk tripling at severe obesity levels.
Measles cases are rising across multiple states, with over 40 cases at a Florida college and 18 cases in North Carolina since December. Federal health officials are urging vaccination as the U.S. recorded 2,280 cases in 2025.
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed ketogenic diets can cure schizophrenia, but psychiatry experts say the assertion goes far beyond what current scientific evidence supports.
New research shows wearable devices can predict depression relapses weeks in advance through sleep pattern analysis, while studies reveal limitations in Apple Watch blood pressure alerts and benefits of replacing TV time with physical activity.
The FDA reversed its refusal to review Moderna's mRNA flu vaccine application after the company amended its submission. The agency will now consider full approval for adults 50-64 and accelerated approval for those 65 and older, with a decision expected by August 5, 2026.
The Trump administration launched TrumpRx.gov in February 2026, offering discounted prices on dozens of brand-name prescription drugs through negotiated deals with pharmaceutical companies, though critics warn many listed drugs have cheaper generic alternatives.
Hims and Hers Health pulled its $49 compounded version of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy weight-loss pill after the FDA referred the company to the Department of Justice for potential legal violations.
Analysts project AI in clinical trials will represent an $8 billion business segment by 2030, generating up to $110 billion per year in value to pharma. Multiple companies unveiled AI-powered platforms at SCOPE 2026 in Orlando.
The FDA placed clinical holds on Regenxbio's RGX-111 and RGX-121 gene therapies following a tumor case in an MPS I patient. The company's stock fell nearly 18% on the news.
The FDA has approved Filkri (filgrastim-laha), a biosimilar to Neupogen, for cancer patients at risk of infection due to chemotherapy and other indications. The approval marks Accord BioPharma's sixth biosimilar product.
Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical faces federal securities class action lawsuits following the failure of Phase 3 Orbit and Cosmic studies for setrusumab in Osteogenesis Imperfecta, with stock falling over 42% after December 2025 results announcement.
Praxis Precision Medicines has submitted new drug applications for ulixacaltamide in essential tremor and relutrigine in rare epilepsies, both granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation. The company reported $926 million in cash as of December 31, 2025.
Drug Hunter's most-accessed resources, reviews, and case studies in 2025 reflected key trends in drug discovery, including the rise of oral macrocycles, advances in new modalities, and the shift from biologics to small molecules in immunology.
Artificial intelligence emerged as the dominant topic in clinical research during 2025, with applications spanning operational efficiency, drug discovery, and patient recruitment, though no AI-discovered drug has yet achieved FDA marketing approval.
The FDA approved multiple denosumab biosimilars in late 2025 and issued REMS safety updates emphasizing severe hypocalcemia risk in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease, including reported hospitalizations and fatalities.
A nationwide study of US veterans with type 2 diabetes found semaglutide initiation more than doubled the risk of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy compared to SGLT2 inhibitors, though absolute risk remained low at 0.29%.
Takeda announced positive Phase 3 results for zasocitinib in adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, meeting all 44 endpoints. The company is also conducting a Phase 3 trial in pediatric patients.
Eli Lilly has built $1.5 billion in pre-launch inventory of oral weight loss drug orforglipron ahead of an April 2026 FDA decision, while Phase 3 data showed the drug maintained weight loss after switching from injectables.
