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TRICARE Contractor Apologizes for OHI Errors Affecting 4 Million Beneficiaries
4 days ago•Source: NBC News
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Lilly's triple-hormone drug retatrutide yields deep, lasting weight loss in Phase 3 obesity study
Eli Lilly announced topline TRIUMPH-1 results for retatrutide, a first-in-class GIP/GLP-1/glucagon triple agonist, in adults with obesity or overweight and comorbidities. Across 4 mg, 9 mg, and 12 mg doses, participants achieved meaningful weight loss at 80 weeks (4 mg: 19.0%, 9 mg: 25.9%, 12 mg: 28.3%), with the 12 mg group averaging 70.3 lb and 45.3% reaching ≥30% weight loss; BMI ≤22 was achieved by 65.3% at Week 80. Some participants with higher BMI continued losing weight in extensions, reaching about 30% total body weight loss over roughly two years. All arms met primary and key secondary endpoints, and the follow-on extension data covered up to 104 weeks. Safety disclosures mirror warnings associated with Lilly's obesity medicines.
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Texas hospital to open first detransition clinic after settlement over gender-care practices
Texas Children’s Hospital will launch what officials call the nation’s first detransition clinic for transgender youths as part of a settlement with the Texas attorney general and the U.S. justice department over alleged improper Medicaid billing and other claims related to gender-affirming care; the hospital will pay $10 million, terminate several physicians, and fund the detransition clinic for five years with services free to patients, while agreeing to stop providing puberty blockers, hormone therapy, or surgeries to minors. The deal is framed by Texas officials as a shift away from gender ideology, amid broader federal scrutiny of gender-affirming care for minors, with the DOJ saying it will continue pursuing enforcement against providers of such care.
Regenxbio hits milestone in Duchenne gene therapy ahead of FDA filing
Regenxbio announced its experimental Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy produced sufficient levels of a miniaturized muscle protein in a clinical trial, paving the way for an FDA submission and aiming to improve on Sarepta’s Elevidys in both efficacy and safety, amid ongoing safety concerns surrounding the competitor.
OX40-boosted Keytruda shows stronger responses in Inhibrx phase 2 HNSCC trial
Inhibrx reports phase 2 HexAgon results showing INBRX-106, a hexavalent OX40 agonist, added to Merck’s Keytruda, doubling the objective response rate to 44% vs 21.4% for Keytruda alone in treatment‑naïve, high PD-L1 HNSCC (CPS ≥20), with three complete responses in the combo arm. Progression-free survival data will be shared in Q4, and a phase 3 study is planned for Q3, with expansion into NSCLC and other combinations on the roadmap. Reuters‑reported interest from Merck and others could fuel takeover talks if data remain favorable.
Trump’s Drug-Pricing Push Delivers Some Discounts, But Prices Climb for Many
Trump’s drug-pricing efforts have yielded uneven gains: Medicare's negotiated discounts cut some prices and cap out-of-pocket costs, and TrumpRx offered notable cuts on certain brand drugs, but overall about 1,000 branded drugs rose in price in early 2026, and benefits mostly reach cash-paying patients, with many discounts opaque and limited in scope; experts say the policy changes do not broadly reshape drug pricing.
UnitedHealthcare to drop prior authorization for 30% of services by 2026
UnitedHealthcare will eliminate prior authorization for about 30% of medical services that previously required insurer approval, including select outpatient surgeries, certain diagnostic tests (e.g., echocardiograms), some outpatient therapies, and some chiropractic care, with the change to take effect by the end of 2026. The company notes that prior authorization currently applies to about 2% of services and 92% are approved within 24 hours, while critics say the process creates administrative burdens and delays care; the move aligns with broader industry pressure to streamline authorization across insurers.
Aficamten achieves dual-endpoint success in pivotal non-obstructive HCM trial
Cytokinetics announced positive topline results from ACACIA-HCM, a pivotal Phase 3 trial of aficamten in symptomatic non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, meeting both primary endpoints (KCCQ-CSS and maximal exercise capacity pVO2) at Week 36 with statistical significance (KCCQ-CSS 11.4 vs 8.4, p=0.021; pVO2 0.64 vs -0.03, p=0.003). The findings were robust and consistent across key secondary endpoints, and the company will host a conference call on May 5 at 8:00 AM ET. Notably, there are no approved therapies for non-obstructive HCM, and aficamten is a cardiac myosin inhibitor in development, with MYQORZO approved for obstructive HCM.
FDA greenlights Otarmeni: first gene therapy to restore hearing in OTOF-related deafness, Regeneron to provide it free in the U.S.
The FDA granted accelerated approval for Otarmeni (lunsotogene parvec-cwha), a one-time gene therapy for severe-to-profound OTOF-related hearing loss, based on CHORD trial results showing 80% of participants reached a key hearing threshold at 24 weeks and 42% achieved normal hearing by 48 weeks; Regeneron will provide Otarmeni free to eligible U.S. patients as part of access programs, with continued confirmatory trials and safety monitoring ongoing.
LITESPARK-012 RCC Trial: Triplet Regimens Fail to Beat Standard Front-Line Therapy
Merck and Eisai reported interim results from Phase 3 LITESPARK-012 in first-line advanced clear cell RCC, showing that the triplet regimens (KEYTRUDA+LENVIMA+WELIREG and MK-1308A+LENVIMA) did not meet the dual primary endpoints of progression-free survival and overall survival versus KEYTRUDA+LENVIMA. Safety aligned with prior data, and full data analysis is ongoing with plans to share results with investigators and the scientific community. The findings do not affect other LITESPARK trials, and KEYTRUDA+LENVIMA remains an approved first-line RCC option; FDA has also accepted sNDA for LITESPARK-011 with a target action date of Oct 4, 2026.
One Medical rolls out nationwide GLP-1 weight-loss program integrated with primary care
Amazon's One Medical is launching a nationwide GLP-1 weight-loss program that combines prescriptions with ongoing primary care, including virtual and in-person visits, lab monitoring, and integrated care through Amazon Pharmacy. The initiative, which offers pricing options and aims to improve long-term outcomes, comes as competitors push similar GLP-1 platforms and underscores ongoing gaps in obesity care when care isn’t closely managed.
UCB bets on regenerative epilepsy therapy with Neurona buy
UCB to acquire Neurona Therapeutics for up to $1.15 billion ($650 million upfront plus up to $500 million in milestones), adding NRTX-1001, a regenerative neural cell therapy in Phase I/II for drug-resistant mesial temporal lobe epilepsy that aims to restore neural circuitry by delivering GABA-producing cells. The deal underscores UCB’s push into regenerative medicine, with RMAT/PRIME designations reflecting regulatory interest, and is expected to close by the end of Q2 2026, while 2026 revenue and EBITDA guidance remain unchanged.