News from NYU Langone Health
Experimental GLP-1 Pill Helped People With Diabetes Lose Weight And Lower Blood Sugar, Eli Lilly Says. (CNN)
(4/17) Eli Lilly announced that its experimental pill, orforglipron, a GLP-1 medication for type 2 diabetes, helped participants lose an average of 16 pounds (7.9% body weight) and significantly lower A1C levels without requiring diet restrictions; Priya Jaisinghani, MD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Medicine, the Holman Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, & Metabolism, said, “As clinicians, our priority is to align treatment with our patients’ preferences to support long-term adherence,” emphasizing the potential benefits of an oral alternative for patients who find injectables challenging.
(4/17) Melanie R. Jay, MD, associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, and Department of Population Health, cautions that while convenient, these drugs require physician management, stating, “It is not a silver bullet,” and emphasizing the need for further understanding in real-world practice.
(4/17 Jonathan D. LaPook, MD, the Mebane Professor of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, professor, Department of Population Health, emphasized the necessity of a “holistic approach” involving a healthy diet and exercise, noting that Eli Lilly plans to seek approval for diabetes use in 2026 and weight loss by the year’s end.
Also reporting are (4/17) and Miami-Dade, FL (4/17).
Will Jose Siri’s Tibia Fracture Impact His Speed? (New York Post)
The (4/17) “Guillem Gonzalez-Lomas, MD, assistant professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, joins Brandon London for the weekly ‘Injury Report’ to break down the recovery process for Mets outfielder Jose Siri, who suffered a fractured tibia after fouling a ball off of his left shin.”
Melanoma Recurrence May Be Predicted By Circulating Tumor DNA Test. (Inside Precision Medicine)
(4/16) A study led by NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter 鶹Ƶapp Center found that monitoring circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the blood can accurately predict skin cancer recurrence, with 80% of stage III melanoma patients with detectable ctDNA before treatment experiencing recurrence; Mahrukh Syeda, MS, research scientist, the Ronald O. Perlman Department of Dermatology, said, “Our findings suggest that circulating tumor DNA tests could help oncologists identify which melanoma patients are most likely to respond well to therapy,” while co-senior study author David Polsky, MD, PhD, the Alfred W. Kopf, M.D. Professor of Dermatologic Oncology, vice chair, research, the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, professor, Department of Pathology, Perlmutter 鶹Ƶapp Center,, added that ctDNA tests provide a direct measure of disease recurrence, although he cautioned that some cancers recurred despite negative ctDNA tests.
Behind The Story Of The Decades-Long Journey Of Xenotransplantation. (AP)
(4/16) AP correspondents Lauran Neergaard and Shelby Lum discuss the evolution of xenotransplantation, highlighting its history, risks, and recent advancements, such as gene-editing pigs to make their organs more compatible with humans, with notable surgeries including a pig kidney transplant at NYU Langone Health, where a patient lived 130 days before organ rejection; ethical concerns remain regarding consent, potential animal virus transmission, and animal treatment, while the FDA has approved a clinical trial using pig kidneys from United Therapeutics’ subsidiary, Revivacor Incorporated, as patients hope their experiences contribute to future successes.
Pediatric Patients And Parents Say They Want Straight Talk From Oncologists Even When The Prognosis Is Poor. (Managed Healthcare Executive)
(4/17) A study led by Caroline Christianson, MD, fellow, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, published in JAMA Network Open on April 16, 2025, involving 85 participants, including patients, parents, and oncologists, found that most participants favored sharing more information about prognoses, with patients and parents expressing a preference for discussing communication preferences in advance; despite this, oncologists infrequently initiate such discussions, though they recognize the value, and the study suggests strategies for eliciting preferences, such as asking direct questions or offering options about the desired amount of information.
Scientists Discover Immune Cell Type is Key to Understanding Food Allergies. (Technology Networks)
(4/16) Recent research led by Dan Littman, MD, PhD, the Helen L. and Martin S. Kimmel Professor of Molecular Immunology, Department of Pathology, and professor, Department of Cell Biology, has helped uncover how the immune system learns to distinguish between harmful invaders (e.g., pathogens) and everyday exposures like food, offering new insights into the prevention and treatment of food allergies.
What Are SSRIs? Explaining The Antidepressant Medication. (USA Today)
(4/18) “SSRIs are a subsection of the larger class of antidepressants. Other antidepressants usually prescribed for depression, according to NYU Langone Health, include serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors such as venlafaxine and duloxetine and atypical antidepressants including bupropion and mirtazapine.”
Rethinking Asthma Treatment With Liver Immunotherapy. (Technology Networks)
(4/17) Researchers at NYU Langone Health have developed liver-targeted immunotherapy (LIT) to treat asthma by promoting immune tolerance, showing promising results in preclinical trials with mice and potentially offering a rapid, safe, and long-lasting solution for allergic diseases, with research lead Jeffrey A. Hubbell, PhD, a professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, saying, “Traditional allergen immunotherapy can take years to work,” but “with LIT, we’re seeing long-lasting immune tolerance after only two interventions.”
‘I Got Shingles At 35. These Are The Early Symptoms My Doctors Missed’. (SELF Magazine)
(4/17) Shingles, often associated with older age, can also affect younger adults, and Amanda Levine, MD, assistant professor, the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology, says “some people feel skin sensitivity or pain in just one area of the body, often on their torso, face, or back,” adding that patients “can have eye symptoms, and that can be eye pain, blurred vision, redness of the eye, and swelling of the lid,”
Is The ‘Ostrich Effect’ Messing With Your Life? Here’s What To Do. (HuffPost)
(4/17) Sudeepta Varma, MD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Psychiatry, describes the “ostrich effect” as “when people bury their head in the sand, engaging in avoidance and denial, hoping the problem will go away,” which she says may provide short-term peace but can lead to long-term issues if not addressed.
