2026 Kff

• Researcher Eric Verdin is studying experimental drugs, specifically GLP-1 medications, to determine if they can extend human life and mimic the benefits of calorie restriction. • While calorie restriction is known to improve lifespan and reduce age-related diseases, many individuals struggle to maintain the strict diets required to achieve these results. • GLP-1 medications, which are part of a broad class of compounds known as peptides, are being explored as a pharmacological alternative to dietary restriction.

• Betting platforms Kalshi and Polymarket now allow users to wager on whether the FDA will approve treatments for lung, breast, pancreas, and blood cancers this year. • Kalshi intends to expand its offerings by allowing users to bet on the specific outcomes of clinical drug trials. • Simultaneously, the FDA has reiterated concerns regarding Replimune's lack of adequate data as the biotech company attempts for a third time to gain clearance for a controversial skin cancer drug.

• The Department of Veterans Affairs is launching a randomized clinical trial to determine if GLP-1 drugs can reduce alcohol abuse among U.S. military veterans. • The study will specifically measure whether semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy, can decrease drinking and improve overall quality of life. • This initiative targets a significant public health need, as an estimated 400,000 U.S. veterans are currently diagnosed with alcohol use disorder.

• The FDA’s Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee has approved the peptides epitalon and semax for compounding. • Medical experts warn that this decision may mislead the public into believing the FDA has thoroughly evaluated the safety and efficacy of these compounds. • Critics argue the move is significant because it could potentially undermine the integrity and future of the formal FDA drug approval process.

• Researchers have published a new study in Science Translational Medicine detailing how the Epstein-Barr virus triggers immune responses that cause inflammation and nervous system damage in multiple sclerosis patients. • Separately, clinical trials have demonstrated the effectiveness of a treatment that inhibits the PCSK9 protein to significantly lower dangerous LDL cholesterol levels. • This cholesterol treatment can reduce LDL levels to 50 or 60, whereas adults not using medication typically maintain levels above 100.

• The FDA has approved the use of Paxlovid for children aged 12 and older who weigh at least 88 pounds. • AstraZeneca reported that its heart disease drug failed a pivotal trial, marking a significant setback in the company's cardiovascular development goals. • Eli Lilly launched a new website to advocate that obesity is a chronic, complex disease rather than just a risk factor for other medical complications.

• The WHO announced the first patient has entered a randomized platform trial in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to test the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and remdesivir against the Bundibugyo virus. • This clinical trial aims to determine if these antiviral therapies, used alone or in combination, can improve survival rates as Ebola-related cases and deaths continue to rise. • Separately, rising health affordability crises and medical system frustrations are driving increased public and political demand for government intervention regarding drug prices and insurance premiums.