Glucagon-Like-Peptide-1(Original Biomedicals)

THURSDAY, Jan. 29, 2026 -- Use of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) is associated with reduced postoperative revision following functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) for up to five years among patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) and obesity, according to a study published online Dec. 7 in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery . David Hoying, from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, and colleagues assessed the impact of GLP-1 RA prescriptions on the revision rate of FESS and the use of biologics post-FESS. The analysis included 1,391 propensity-matched pairs of patients with obesity (taking and not taking GLP-1 RAs) and undergoing FESS for CRSwNP. The researchers found that patients taking GLP-1 RAs had a significantly reduced incidence of revision FESS versus the non-GLP-1 RA group at one-year (risk ratio [RR], 0.64) and five-year follow-up (RR, 0.60). At the five-year follow-up, the first-time biologic prescription was lower in the GLP-1 RA cohort versus the non-GLP-1 RA cohort (RR, 0.72). "As the prevalence of obesity continues to rise, it will be important to continue to evaluate how obesity may impact the management of CRS," the authors write. "This study indicates that weight loss management may be one possible postoperative method for reducing disease recurrence in this patient population." Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Another GLP-1 drug is up for Medicare negotiations under the Inflation Reduction Act. Eli Lilly’s diabetes drug Trulicity is among 15 drugs selected for the third round of negotiations. For the first time, CMS has also selected one additional drug for renegotiation: Boehringer Ingelheim’s diabetes drug Tradjenta. The negotiations will occur this year and take effect in 2028. Drugs payable under Medicare Part B were included for the first time this year. Part B helps cover treatments that are typically administered by a physician. AbbVie’s Botox, Genentech and Novartis’ asthma treatment Xolair, and Takeda’s ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease treatment Entyvio are some of the drugs on this year’s list that may be payable under Part B. Together, the 15 new drugs on the list cost Medicare Part B and Part D about $27 billion from November 2024 through October 2025, according to CMS. Companies have until Feb. 28 to opt in to negotiations. “Under President Trump’s leadership, CMS is taking strong action to target the most expensive drugs in Medicare, negotiate fair prices, and make sure the system works for patients — not special interests,” CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz said in a news release. Changes to the program this cycle represent the “final piece of the puzzle,” said Kristi Martin, a former chief of staff for Medicare who helped craft the agency’s guidance for the first round of negotiations and is now a principal at Highway 136 Consulting. “The Inflation Reduction Act really set up this implementation in a very thoughtful way to ensure that it was a successful implementation in a phased approach,” Martin said. “It’s not in a building stage anymore. The program’s built.” Some industry experts had initially expected Merck’s blockbuster cancer drug Keytruda and Bristol Myers Squibb’s PD-1 inhibitor Opdivo to be included in this year’s negotiations. But in September, CMS finalized new guidance that expanded protections for certain orphan drugs and delayed their inclusion. Previously, certain orphan drugs were excluded from Medicare negotiations if they were approved to treat a single rare disease or condition. Now, in accordance with the tax and spending package President Donald Trump signed into law last year, orphan drugs may be excluded if they are approved for more than one indication, as long as it’s another rare disease or condition. The negotiation process continues as the Supreme Court weighs whether to step into drugmakers’ legal fight against the IRA. AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers, Johnson & Johnson, Novo Nordisk, Novartis and Boehringer Ingelheim have asked the high court for review. Drugmakers and the industry trade group PhRMA have brought a range of constitutional and statutory challenges. But the government has prevailed in every case where courts have ruled on the merits of those claims. PhRMA criticized the program in a statement on Tuesday. EVP of policy and research Elizabeth Carpenter said the law is “the wrong approach for Americans,” and is “undermining future medical progress.” Prices negotiated during the first round of Medicare negotiations took effect on Jan. 1. Results from the second round of negotiations were announced in November, with those prices set to take effect in 2027. Next year, CMS will select up to 20 drugs for negotiation. In its Supreme Court petition, AstraZeneca argued that although the program is “still in its early stages, its consequences will proliferate” as time goes on and more drugs are selected. Editor’s note: This story was updated with additional reporting.