Sunday, 7 June 2026 edition — The Vital Record

In brief

• Research An investigational lymphoma antibody cleared more protein than tacrolimus in a hard-to-treat kidney-disease trial In the Phase 3 MAJESTY trial, obinutuzumab — a B-cell antibody not approved for kidney disease — drove complete remission of proteinuria at two years in 37% of 142 patients with heavy, treatment-resistant membranous nephropathy, versus 6% on tacrolimus, but showed no kidney-function benefit; one trial, not medical advice.
• Research Investigational triple agonist retatrutide lowers HbA1c as diabetes monotherapy in phase 3 trial; up to 15% weight loss was a secondary finding Eli Lilly's experimental GIP/GLP-1/glucagon agonist retatrutide — not approved for diabetes or any indication — cut HbA1c by up to 1.12 points versus placebo at 40 weeks in the 537-patient TRANSCEND-T2D-1 trial.
• FDA & Regulatory FDA approves AbbVie's DECNUPAZ for ultra-rare blood cancer BPDCN, on a single-arm response endpoint Pivekimab sunirine-pvzy clears priority review on a single-arm trial: the headline 69.7% complete-response rate is the best-case newly diagnosed subgroup, relapsed/refractory disease responded far less (15.7%), no survival benefit has been shown, and the label carries a boxed warning for fatal hepatotoxicity.
• Biotech Business Otsuka files to convert VOYXACT to full approval in IgA nephropathy, citing a 5.5 mL/min interim eGFR edge at one year Interim Phase 3 VISIONARY data at ERA 2026 show the drug arm essentially holding kidney function over 12 months on total eGFR change; Otsuka says its rolling submission to convert accelerated approval already includes 24-month data.
• Biotech Business Servier to buy Edgewise's investigational dystrophy drug sevasemten for up to $2.65B as Edgewise turns to cardiology $1.55B upfront plus up to $1.1B in milestones buys sevasemten, an investigational Becker/Duchenne candidate with no controlled efficacy yet and a pivotal trial readout due in Q4 2026; Edgewise keeps its cardiac pipeline.
• Public Health US measles hits 2,030 cases in 2026, with 93% tied to outbreaks CDC's June 4 tally counts 2,030 confirmed cases across 40 jurisdictions, the large majority linked to 30 new outbreaks.
• Digital Health & AI Google's AMIE ran with 100 real patients and was never forced to stop. On diagnosis, the picture was mixed. In the first prospective deployment of the diagnostic AI with live patients, the pre-registered endpoints were safety and feasibility — both met, with zero forced stops. Accuracy, a secondary endpoint, ran from 56% for its top guess to 90% across seven. Preprint, not peer reviewed.
• Digital Health & AI Philips clears Elevate Plus, moving Koios breast and thyroid AI onto the ultrasound cart FDA 510(k) clearance adds automated abdominal measurement and on-cart AI decision support to Philips' EPIQ Elite and Affiniti scanners — but the speed and accuracy claims are vendor-reported, not peer-reviewed.