Matthew Shinkle

The FDA has granted accelerated approval to vusolimogene oderparepvec-wtpg in combination with nivolumab for adults with unresectable advanced cutaneous melanoma who experienced disease progression with a prior anti-PD-1 therapy.The approval for vusolimogene oderparepvec-wtpg (Tudriqev, Replimune) — an oncolytic immunotherapy previously called RP1 — comes after two prior rejections

Only one out of every five adults with cirrhosis in safety-net health systems receive guideline-concordant hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance.Rates have dropped significantly since before the COVID pandemic, according to data published in JAMA Network Open, and researchers have not observed a rebound after.

The FDA expanded its approval of linaclotide to include pediatric patients aged 2 to 5 years with functional constipation.Linaclotide (Linzess, Ironwood Pharmaceuticals) received FDA approval in November 2025 for children aged 6 years and older with functional constipation. The guanylate cyclase-C agonist is prescribed as a once-daily 72 µg capsule.

CHICAGO — Patients with irritable bowel syndrome who consumed an elemental diet for 2 weeks reported significant improvement in abdominal pain, discomfort, distention and bloating, according to a presenter at Digestive Disease Week.Notably, individuals studied met the FDA-aligned threshold of at least 30% improvement, which persisted in the 2 weeks they returned to their previous diets.

CHICAGO — Wearable device-derived sleep metrics may help monitor inflammatory bowel disease activity and response to biologic therapy, according to research presented at Digestive Disease Week.Results of a study using the Oura Ring (Oura) showed those who responded to biologic therapy had less time awake in bed and better sleep efficiency according to the wearable device and other collected

Use of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors was linked to significantly reduced risk for adverse kidney, cardiovascular and hepatic outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes and cirrhosis, according to a study conducted in Taiwan.“These protective associations were consistent across the full spectrum of cirrhosis causes, including viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease and

The FDA has cleared an HPV self-collection kit and approved a related HPV assay for at-home use, enabling patients to obtain their own sample for cervical cancer screening.The Onclarity HPV Self-Collection Kit (Waters Corp.) is tested with the BD Onclarity HPV Assay (Waters Corp.), which now supports specimens collected both in clinic and at home. The assay detects all high-risk, carcinogenic

Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer deaths among individuals aged younger than 50 years, and incidence continues to rise.

The FDA has cleared a multiplex polymerase chain reaction test designed to detect 11 clinically relevant gastrointestinal pathogens from a single stool sample.The Xpert GI Panel (Cepheid) can identify eight diarrhea-causing bacteria, two parasites and one virus in just over an hour, which Cepheid Chief Medical Officer Connie Savor, MD, said is a much-needed innovation for clinicians and patients

LAS VEGAS — Adjunctive use of GLP-1 receptor agonists may reduce steroid dependence and lead to fewer hospitalizations among patients with Crohn’s disease and overweight or obesity, according to data presented at Crohn’s & Colitis Congress.Researchers described results of the retrospective, real-world analysis as the first large-scale evidence that supports the potential