Insulin Pod Recall; T1D Islet Success; FDA Targets Animal-Derived Thyroid Meds

Insulet recalled specific batches of its insulin-delivery pods due to a manufacturing defect that could prevent full insulin delivery; 18 serious injuries have been linked to the issue.

All 12 adults with long-standing type 1 diabetes achieved an HbA1c below 6% and insulin independence 1 month after receiving tegoprubart, an anti-CD40L monoclonal antibody, as part of a calcineurin inhibitor-free immunosuppression regimen in a pilot study, according to Eledon Pharmaceuticals.

Sana Biotechnology said a patient with type 1 diabetes transplanted with UP421, an allogeneic primary islet cell therapy, continued to show positive results 14 months later without the need for immunosuppression.

The FDA expressed concern about the safety and effectiveness of unapproved animal-derived thyroid medications; the agency plans to issue draft guidance for manufacturers later this year.

Participants on aleniglipron, an investigational once-daily GLP-1 pill, lost a placebo-adjusted 16.3% of body weight by week 44 without reaching a plateau in a phase II study, said developer Structure Therapeutics.

In another successful phase II trial, participants achieved a placebo-adjusted 7.5% mean weight loss by week 16 following three monthly doses of the investigational GLP-1 injectable ASC30, said Ascletis Pharma.

Increased competition and a rising cash-pay market have contributed to falling prices for weight-loss medications. (Washington Post)

Despite the hype, weight-loss drugs don’t work for some people. (New York Times)

Early-life exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or “forever chemicals,” was tied to lower bone mineral density in early adolescence, a cohort study showed. (Journal of the Endocrine Society)

A global study found that while deaths from cardiovascular disease and diabetes have declined among people with diabetes, dementia-related deaths increased. (Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology)

During a tense meeting over the winter, CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz, MD, MBA, pressed medical societies on their support for gender-affirming medical interventions for transgender youth. (New York Times)

An appeals court ruled that West Virginia can ban Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming surgeries. (Reuters via MSN)

A Texas law barring transgender care for minors negatively affected other patients who need puberty blockers to treat disorders that are not gender-related. (Texas Tribune)

Authors of a JAMA Surgery viewpoint on primary aldosteronism advocated for selective, imaging-guided use of adrenal vein sampling, reserving the procedure for cases where lateralization testing will meaningfully alter management.

A matched case-control analysis found that adults with osteogenesis imperfecta had significantly higher circulating levels of periostin than controls. (Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism)

Cushing’s syndrome patients treated with GLP-1 drugs had significant improvements in weight and glycemic control without worsening cortisol dynamics or liver function, a small retrospective study found. (Endocrine)