Eli Lilly and its biggest rival, Novo Nordisk, are locked in a global race to dominate the booming weight‑loss drug market. Lilly’s star drug, tirzepatide, already generated about 253 billion yuan in sales last year and is now being tested for new uses beyond diabetes. In a recent late‑stage trial, 274 adults with moderate‑to‑severe psoriasis received either tirzepatide together with Lilly’s biologic ixekizumab, or ixekizumab alone. After 36 weeks, more than a quarter of the combination group (27.1%) achieved complete skin clearance *and* lost at least 10 % of their body weight, compared with just 5.8% on ixekizumab alone. The findings suggest tirzepatide could help treat obesity‑related conditions such as psoriasis, a chronic autoimmune disease that often co‑exists with excess weight. Meanwhile, China’s regulator has approved tirzepatide for a broader diabetes indication, and Europe has cleared a higher‑dose version of Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide. Lilly is also stockpiling its upcoming oral weight‑loss pill, with inventory jumping to $1.5 billion. As both companies expand their drug portfolios, patients may soon see more options for tackling weight gain and its many health complications.
Read moreA series of recent trials are reshaping the outlook for people with advanced liver cancer (unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, uHCC). The landmark HIMALAYA study proved that a single‑dose dual‑immunotherapy combo – tremelimumab plus durvalumab (the STRIDE regimen) – can lengthen overall survival, delivering the longest follow‑up data ever seen in first‑line uHCC and confirming a “long‑tail” benefit that pushes survival metrics beyond five years. Chinese patients, who often carry hepatitis B virus (HBV) and deeper immune suppression, responded particularly well, with manageable safety. Building on that, the international Phase III CheckMate‑9DW trial showed the nivolumab + ipilimumab (O+Y) duo achieved a 36% objective response rate and raised median overall survival to 23.7 months, with a 3‑year survival of 38%. Longer follow‑up revealed that responders had not yet reached median OS, now exceeding 48 months, prompting China’s regulator to approve O+Y as the first‑line treatment for advanced HCC in March 2025. Other combination strategies are also promising. A regimen that pairs dual‑immunotherapy with targeted agents reached a 47% response rate and an 8.7‑month median progression‑free survival, while the DUBHE‑H‑308 study (AiTuo PD‑1/CTLA‑4 antibody plus chemotherapy and bevacizumab) reported response rates around 40% and a median PFS of 13.1 months, with a 12‑month overall survival of 73%. Although high‑grade side effects were common, no treatment‑related deaths occurred. Together, these data offer new hope that long‑term survival is becoming a realistic goal for liver‑cancer patients.
Read moreThe International Stroke Conference 2026 showcased a host of advances that could change how patients recover from brain attacks. A Chinese Phase III trial highlighted Loberamusal, a novel neuroprotective compound that helped stroke survivors regain function faster than standard care, sparking hope for a new class of rehabilitation drugs. In a separate study, giving recombinant coagulation factor VIIa within two hours of a brain bleed slowed the growth of the hematoma, but it did not translate into better long‑term outcomes and raised a small risk of dangerous clots. Researchers from Beijing Tiantan Hospital presented a suite of precision‑medicine tools: refined criteria for selecting patients for clot‑removing procedures, personalized antiplatelet regimens, neuromodulation‑assisted therapy, and cutting‑edge imaging that pinpoints micro‑circulation problems and language‑area damage. Sun Yat‑sen Memorial Hospital added new data on endovascular stroke treatment, aneurysm management, and molecular pathways that protect brain tissue. A CREST‑2 sub‑analysis found that neither surgery nor stenting improved cognition in people with silent carotid narrowing. Beijing Union Medical College Hospital offered a multidimensional look at intracranial atherosclerosis, linking genetics, glymphatic dysfunction, and novel PCSK9 inhibitors to stroke risk. Finally, the OCEANIC‑STROKE trial showed that the factor XIa inhibitor asundexian cuts recurrent ischemic stroke risk without extra bleeding, while the CHOICE2 study demonstrated that a small dose of intra‑arterial alteplase after successful thrombectomy boosts functional recovery. Together, these findings point toward safer, more tailored, and more effective stroke care for patients worldwide.
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