On November 4, 2025, Application Therapeutics Inc., a precision medicine company specializing in rare genetic disorders, announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of KYGEVVI® (doxecitine and doxribtimine oral suspension), marking a paradigm shift in the treatment landscape for thymidine kinase 2 deficiency (TK2d). This ultra-rare mitochondrial disease, caused by biallelic mutations in the TK2 gene, impairs mitochondrial DNA synthesis, leading to severe skeletal muscle myopathy, respiratory insufficiency, and often early mortality. Affecting approximately 200-300 patients in the U.S., TK2d has historically lacked disease-modifying therapies, leaving families reliant on supportive care amid relentless progression.
On October 28, 2025, Eli Lilly and Company announced U.S. FDA approval for OMVOH™ (mirikizumab-mrkz) as the first and only single 500 mg subcutaneous (SC) injection every 4 weeks for maintenance treatment in adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) who achieved clinical response to OMVOH induction therapy. This update builds on the drug’s October 2023 approval for both induction (300 mg IV at Weeks 0, 4, 8) and maintenance (200 mg SC every 4 weeks), offering a more convenient, higher-dose option to sustain remission longer-term.
On October 27, 2025, the U.S. FDA approved an expanded indication for WINREVAIR™ (sotatercept-csrk), Merck’s first-in-class activin signaling inhibitor, for adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH, WHO Group 1). The update incorporates data from the Phase 3 ZENITH trial and now includes reduction in the risk of clinical worsening events—specifically all-cause death, lung transplantation, and PAH-related hospitalization of ≥24 hours—alongside previously established benefits in exercise capacity and WHO functional class (FC).
Celltrion announced on October 17, 2025, that the U.S. FDA has approved label expansions for YUFLYMA® (adalimumab-aaty) and its unbranded counterpart, extending treatment to adolescent hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) in patients aged 12 and older and pediatric uveitis (UV) in children aged 2 and older. Previously approved for adult HS and UV, these new indications mark a significant advancement in managing chronic immune-mediated diseases in younger populations.
Innovent Biologics, a leading Chinese biopharmaceutical firm focused on oncology, metabolic, and autoimmune therapies, announced positive topline results from its fourth phase 3 trial, DREAMS-3 (NCT06184568), evaluating mazdutide (Xinermei®)—a once-weekly subcutaneous GLP-1 and glucagon (GCG) dual receptor agonist licensed exclusively from Eli Lilly for development in China. Originally discovered by Lilly, mazdutide targets both receptors to enhance glycemic control and promote significant weight loss, addressing the intertwined epidemics of T2D and obesity in China, where over 140 million adults live with T2D and obesity rates exceed 16%.
On October 24, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Lynkuet™ (elinzanetant), developed by Bayer, as the first dual neurokinin (NK) targeted therapy—a combined NK1 and NK3 receptor antagonist—for the treatment of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms (VMS), commonly known as hot flashes, due to menopause. This non-hormonal, once-daily oral therapy addresses a major unmet need in menopausal care, where VMS affect daily functioning, sleep, and quality of life and are a primary reason women seek medical intervention.
The Phase 2 DAHLIAS study (NCT04968912), a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial, evaluated nipocalimab—an investigational monoclonal antibody targeting the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn)—in adults aged 18–75 with moderate-to-severe primary Sjögren’s disease (SjD) seropositive for anti-Ro60 and/or anti-Ro52 IgG autoantibodies. A total of 163 participants were randomized 1:1:1 to receive intravenous nipocalimab 5 mg/kg, 15 mg/kg, or placebo every 2 weeks through Week 22, alongside standard-of-care therapy. The primary endpoint was the change from baseline in the Clinical EULAR Sjögren’s Syndrome Disease Activity Index (ClinESSDAI) score at Week 24, a composite measure assessing 11 systemic domains including constitutional symptoms, lymphadenopathy, glandular swelling, articular, cutaneous, respiratory, renal, muscular, peripheral/central nervous system, and hematological involvement.
The extended follow-up of the DANISH trial, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology on October 22, 2025, provides critical long-term insights into the role of primary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) in patients with nonischemic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Originally published in 2016 with a median follow-up of 5.6 years, the trial showed no significant reduction in all-cause mortality with ICDs. This new analysis extends median follow-up to 13.2 years (IQR 11.6–14.6 years), tracking 1,116 randomized patients until death or January 31, 2024.
On October 24, 2025, Eli Lilly and Company announced a strategic collaboration with Cipla Limited, a leading Indian pharmaceutical firm, to distribute and promote Yurpeak® (tirzepatide injection) in India. Tirzepatide, a dual GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist, is approved for chronic weight management in adults with obesity or overweight accompanied by at least one weight-related comorbidity. Marketed as Yurpeak® in this partnership, it represents Lilly’s entry into India’s burgeoning market for anti-obesity therapies.
On October 23, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded the label for Novo Nordisk’s oral semaglutide (Rybelsus®) to include reduction of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE)—cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or non-fatal stroke—in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) and either established cardiovascular disease or high cardiovascular risk, irrespective of prior CV event history. This approval establishes oral semaglutide as the first oral GLP-1 receptor agonist with a cardiovascular indication for both primary and secondary prevention.
