Oncology, endocrinology and metabolic medicine are all facing a shakeup as three pivotal clinical trials upend long-standing treatment routines. The latest results are forcing doctors to reconsider what is possible for patients who have run out of options.
Colon cancer patients with stage 3 disease and deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) now have a new FDA-backed regimen. Atezolizumab, sold as Tecentriq, has been cleared for use with chemotherapy as adjuvant therapy. The October 9, 2026 approval also covers the subcutaneous Tecentriq Hybreza version for patients at least 12 years old and weighing 40 kg or more. This move follows the phase 3 ATOMIC trial, where adding atezolizumab to mFOLFOX6 chemotherapy cut the risk of recurrence or death in half (hazard ratio 0.50, 95% CI 0.35–0.73), according to the Roche press release and Cancer Network. The catch: higher rates of severe side effects mean doctors must weigh risks and monitor patients closely.
The ATOMIC trial enrolled 712 patients aged 12 and older with completely resected stage III dMMR colon cancer, using a protocol of 12 cycles of mFOLFOX6 every 14 days.
Chronic thyroid eye disease, especially in its inactive stage, has left many with no real alternative to surgery for persistent eye bulging. Innovent Biologics is now pushing back. In China’s phase 3 RESTORE-3 trial, Sycume (teprotumumab N01) hit its main target: after 24 weeks, 60.4% of patients on the antibody saw a proptosis response, compared to 23.5% on placebo. This IGF-1 receptor antibody could finally give patients a non-surgical way to ease symptoms. Full data and long-term results are still pending.
Momentum in immunotherapy pipelines is picking up elsewhere too, as seen in recent cell therapy trial launches.
Obesity drug development is also breaking new ground. Zealand Pharma’s amylin analog petrelintide cleared a major phase 2b hurdle in the ZUPREME-2 trial. Adults with overweight or obesity and type 2 diabetes lost up to 9.2% of body weight at 28 weeks, compared to 2.0% with placebo, according to Reuters. Petrelintide also improved blood sugar control, and no new safety issues cropped up. Zealand and Roche have now kicked off a phase 3 program to see if these results hold up in broader groups.
Zealand Pharma and Roche have launched the phase IIIa ZUPREME program, which includes three separate studies of petrelintide: ZUPREME-3 for people with obesity or overweight without type 2 diabetes, ZUPREME-4 for patients with type 2 diabetes, and ZUPREME-5 for those with established cardiovascular disease. In all studies, the drug is administered once weekly and compared to placebo.
Each of these advances expands the toolkit for doctors and patients, but translating trial wins into real-world gains is never simple. Improved survival and response rates are clear, yet higher risks and the need for longer follow-up remain. The next phase will test whether these therapies can deliver lasting, safe results outside the trial setting.
