Clinical trial coverage on Peptide News Digest pulls in Phase 1 through Phase 3 readouts across the peptide universe — GLP-1 obesity and cardiometabolic trials (SELECT, SURMOUNT-4, ACHIEVE-3, REDEFINE-1, SYNCHRONIZE-1), peptide vaccine work (AMPLIFY-201, MEL39), peptide-drug conjugate trials, and antimicrobial peptide programs.
Most of the noise sits with Lilly and Novo, but the interesting reads are usually elsewhere: Bicycle Therapeutics on solid tumors, Lirum on Ewing sarcoma, Cerapedics on lumbar fusion, Pelage on hair loss. Real-world evidence and registry data also land here when they reframe what the randomized trials showed.
Each entry names the sponsor, the phase, and the endpoint. Browse the latest below, or jump to the readouts by drug at #semaglutide, #tirzepatide, or #orforglipron.
Entrada Therapeutics announced May 7 positive topline results from Cohort 1 of the Phase 1/2 ELEVATE-44-201 study of ENTR-601-44, the first-in-class Endosomal Escape Vehicle (EEV) peptide-PMO conjugate for exon-44-amenable Duchenne muscular dystrophy. At 6 mg/kg, treated participants showed mean dystrophin increase of 2.36% from a 4.00% baseline, exon-skipping increase of 2.31% from a 2.66% baseline, and a statistically significant improvement in Time-to-Rise (TTR) velocity. No serious adverse events or treatment-driven discontinuations; the most common AE was headache. All eight Cohort 1 participants transitioned to the open-label portion. Cohort 2 (12 mg/kg) is now dosing, with year-end 2026 readouts planned for Cohort 1 OLE and Cohort 2 MAD; Cohort 3 (up to 18 mg/kg) follows.
Bicycle Therapeutics confirmed the Duravelo-2 oral abstract presentation slot at the ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting on Monday, June 1, 8:30–8:36 a.m. CT. The abstract reports interim analysis results from Duravelo-2, a Phase 2/3 trial of zelenectide pevedotin (BT8009) plus pembrolizumab as first-line treatment for previously untreated locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma. Zelenectide pevedotin is Bicycle's Nectin-4-targeting bicyclic peptide-drug conjugate, a separate program from the EphA2-targeting nuzefatide pevedotin (BT5528) covered earlier on this site. The Q1 2026 print (April 30) reaffirmed $559.5M cash and runway to 2030 supporting the Phase 3 expansion of the platform.
Eli Lilly, with the Indiana Biosciences Research Institute, has disclosed an ADA Scientific Sessions Late-Breaking Poster slot (Poster 2839-LB, May 29) for a single peptide molecule that simultaneously activates five receptors: GLP-1, GIP, glucagon, amylin, and calcitonin. Lead investigator Jonathan Douros, PhD, will present rodent data showing weight-loss superiority over retatrutide in Lilly-sponsored animal studies. The compound is distinct from the DiMarchi/Tschöp/Müller GLP-1R/GIPR/PPARα/γ/δ quintuple agonist published in Nature on April 30 — that one is a peptide-drug conjugate combining GLP-1/GIP with the pan-PPAR agonist lanifibranor, while the Lilly + Indiana Biosciences molecule appears to be a single peptide hitting all five receptors directly. Both signal that the obesity-pharmacology ceiling is moving past the triple-agonist generation.
Novo Nordisk's Q1 print clarified that Wegovy HD (semaglutide 7.2 mg injection) — approved by the FDA in March and launched in the US on April 7 — is contributing to the premium-tier injectable mix alongside the standard 2.4 mg dose. The STEP UP trial showed 21% mean weight loss at 72 weeks if all patients stayed on treatment (19% regardless), with 89% on 7.2 mg achieving ≥5% body-weight reduction versus 38% with placebo. The label requires four-plus weeks of tolerability on semaglutide 2.4 mg before stepping up. NovoCare prices the 7.2 mg dose at $399/month self-pay and as low as $25 for many commercially insured patients via the savings offer. Dysesthesia at 22% on 7.2 mg vs. 6% on 2.4 mg and 0.3% on placebo is the only meaningful safety signal beyond the broader GLP-1 class.
Novo Nordisk confirmed in its Q1 2026 commentary that a higher-dose CagriSema (cagrilintide 2.4 mg + semaglutide 2.4 mg) Phase 3 trial will start in the second half of 2026, in response to the February 23 readout where the lower-dose 2.4/2.4 mg arm achieved 23% mean weight loss vs. 25.5% on tirzepatide 15 mg over 84 weeks — failing the non-inferiority primary endpoint. The original CagriSema FDA filing is already submitted with a decision expected in late 2026; the higher-dose program is meant to position Novo for a more competitive head-to-head against tirzepatide before the retatrutide TRIUMPH readouts arrive. ECO 2026 in Istanbul (May 12–15) will deliver additional CagriSema data alongside Wegovy 7.2 mg.
Eli Lilly's retatrutide MASLD Phase 3 trial (NCT06859268) is enrolling, building on Phase 2 data that reported up to 86% liver-fat reduction at 48 weeks with 93% of 12 mg patients reaching normal liver fat. The MASLD trial will measure histological resolution of steatohepatitis without worsening fibrosis — the endpoint that drives FDA approval in the indication. The trial sits within the broader TRIUMPH program of seven Phase 3 retatrutide readouts due in 2026, after TRIUMPH-4 (28.7% mean weight loss with knee-osteoarthritis pain reduction) and TRANSCEND T2D1 (A1c down 1.7–2.0 pts in T2D). MASLD remains a regulatory test for incretins after Boehringer's survodutide LIVERAGE Phase 3 program.
AstraZeneca's ASCEND program is active in Phase 2b, combining AZD9550 (GLP-1 + glucagon dual agonist) with AZD6234 (selective amylin analog) in a two-molecule triple-mechanism strategy aimed at fat-selective weight loss and organ protection. Individual assets are also in Phase 2. The combination reflects the February 2026 $1.2 billion CSPC Pharmaceuticals collaboration that brought both molecules into AstraZeneca's portfolio, alongside elecoglipron (AZD5004 / ECC5004), the small-molecule oral GLP-1 that posted 5.8% weight loss over four weeks in Phase 1b in China. AstraZeneca enters the next-gen obesity race later than Lilly, Novo, Roche, and Boehringer, but the triple-mechanism positioning targets the safety + organ-protection lane that competitors leave open.
BriaCell announced April 21 preclinical results from its next-generation Bria-OTS+ personalized peptide immunotherapy at the AACR 2026 Annual Meeting. The platform pairs HLA-matched whole-cell allogeneic immunotherapy with peptide-mediated antigen targeting, building on the Bria-IMT clinical foundation in heavily pretreated metastatic breast cancer. Based on the preclinical anti-cancer activity, BriaCell plans to enter the clinic for metastatic breast cancer and prostate cancer indications later in 2026, with lung cancer and melanoma planned for 2027. The program adds to a peptide-immuno-oncology pipeline that includes the Bria-IMT Phase 3 and the company's six accepted ASCO 2026 presentations covering survival data, biomarkers, and quality-of-life endpoints.
BioVaxys presented additional validation data on May 1 supporting its MVP-S DPX-formulated five-peptide survivin vaccine in combination with checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab and low-dose cyclophosphamide in recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer. The new data extends the immune-response readout from the PESCO Phase 1B/2 program and reinforces the clinical case heading into the company's accepted ASCO 2026 abstract presentation (May 29–June 6, Chicago). MVP-S sits alongside Bicycle Therapeutics' Duravelo-2, BriaCell's Bria-IMT, Greenwich's GP2, Immutep's eftilagimod alfa, and Pfizer's 40+ oncology abstracts on the ASCO 2026 peptide-and-immuno-oncology slate.
Biomea Fusion announced April 27 positive 52-week Phase 2 COVALENT-112 results in newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes. Patients diagnosed within 0–3 years dosed with icovamenib 200 mg once daily for 12 weeks showed a 52% increase in mean C-peptide AUC at Week 12 (p<0.001, n=5), with persistence through Week 52 (only ~7% decline from baseline) following just 12 weeks of dosing. C-peptide preservation was also observed in patients diagnosed 3–15 years prior (n=9). Icovamenib, a covalent menin inhibitor, was generally well tolerated with no new safety signals. Biomea is planning a Phase 2 expansion at four US academic centers in H2 2026 evaluating extended dosing (6 or 12 months) at 200 mg, with potential addition of an immunosuppressive agent. The data shifts attention back to beta-cell preservation as a T1D therapeutic strategy.
Immutep announced April 22 that an abstract for its lead asset eftilagimod alfa — a soluble LAG-3 protein that activates antigen-presenting cells via MHC class II — has been accepted for poster presentation at ASCO 2026 (May 29–June 2, Chicago). The abstract, titled 'Impact of eftilagimod alfa, an APC activator via MHC class II, on lymphocyte activation and survival outcomes in metastatic cancer patients,' adds a non-checkpoint immunotherapy modality to the ASCO 2026 peptide-and-immuno slate alongside Bicycle Therapeutics' Duravelo-2, BriaCell's Bria-IMT, BioVaxys's MVP-S, and Greenwich LifeSciences' GP2 program.
Bicycle Therapeutics confirmed in its AACR 2026 update that the company began enrolling patients in a Phase 2 study of nuzefatide pevedotin (BT5528) in adults with recurrent pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma in March 2026, with the first patient successfully dosed in April. The bicyclic peptide-drug conjugate targets EphA2-expressing tumor cells. Earlier Phase 1/2 data — through a February 9, 2026 cutoff — showed 40% confirmed ORR in EphA2+ urothelial cancer patients on nuzefatide 6.5 mg/m² plus nivolumab, rising to 100% confirmed ORR in MMAE-naïve EphA2+ patients (n=14). The company has identified 8 mg/m² Q2W as the preferred monotherapy dose. The PDAC trial extends Bicycle's footprint into a difficult tumor type where EphA2 imaging readouts at AACR 2026 reinforced target validation.
On the April 23 Q1 call and follow-up coverage, Roche clarified that its two Phase 3 enicepatide (CT-388) obesity trials — ENITH 1 and ENITH 2 — were both successfully initiated in Q1, with the dual GLP-1/GIP agonist on track to compete in the next-wave Phase 3 obesity readouts. Phase 2 reported 22.5% placebo-adjusted weight loss for enicepatide. Roche also confirmed the petrelintide+enicepatide fixed-dose combination Phase 2 will dose its first patient around mid-2026, pairing the Zealand-derived amylin analog (placebo-like tolerability, 10.7% mean weight loss in ZUPREME-1 at week 42) with Roche's stronger GLP-1/GIP backbone. Additional Phase 2 readouts for oral GLP-1 CT-996 are guided before year-end 2026.
On the April 30 Q1 2026 call, Eli Lilly disclosed positive topline results from TRANSCEND T2D1, the first Phase 3 trial of retatrutide (triple GLP-1/GIP/glucagon agonist) in adults with type 2 diabetes. Compared with placebo, retatrutide lowered A1c by an average of 1.7 to 2.0 percentage points across doses and produced mean weight loss of 11.1 to 16.6 kilograms (25 to 37 pounds). The data complement the previously reported TRIUMPH-4 obesity-with-knee-osteoarthritis results (28.7% weight loss, 75.8% pain reduction). TRIUMPH-1, an 80-week obesity study, is the next retatrutide readout expected, with seven additional Phase 3 readouts still to come in 2026 ahead of a planned regulatory submission late 2026 or 2027.
BioVaxys announced April 27 that the abstract from the investigator-initiated PESCO trial — an open-label, non-randomized Phase 1B/2 study evaluating the company's MVP-S (maveropepimut-S) DPX-formulated peptide vaccine in combination with pembrolizumab and cyclophosphamide in recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer — has been accepted for presentation at the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago (May 29–June 6). MVP-S is a five-peptide survivin-targeted formulation that pairs the peptides with a T-helper sequence and an innate-immune stimulant; the program tests whether the cytotoxic T-cell response can be combined effectively with checkpoint blockade in platinum-resistant disease.
Following the April 28 SYNCHRONIZE-1 obesity topline (16.6% weight loss at 76 weeks), Boehringer Ingelheim and Zealand Pharma confirmed that survodutide — their dual GLP-1/glucagon agonist — has two global Phase 3 MASH trials underway: LIVERAGE in adults with MASH and fibrosis stages F2 or F3, and LIVERAGE-Cirrhosis in compensated MASH cirrhosis. The Phase 3 program follows Phase 2 data showing 83% of MASH patients achieved histological improvement at 48 weeks. The MASH track positions survodutide alongside tirzepatide's SYNERGY-NASH and broader Lilly Phase 3 activity in the metabolic-liver-disease space, with full SYNCHRONIZE-1 data slated for ADA 2026 in June.
Fierce Pharma's Oral GLP-1 Tracker reported May 1 that Eli Lilly's Foundayo (orforglipron) reached 5,612 prescriptions in the week ending April 24 — its third full commercial week — up roughly 51% from Week 2's 3,707 scripts but still behind the Wegovy pill's comparable third-week run. RBC and other analysts continue to caution that 8–12 weeks of data are needed to read commercial trajectory through pharmacy-fill noise. On the Q1 earnings call, Lilly USA's Ilya Yuffa said roughly 20,000 patients are now on the drug for obesity or overweight, calling the early launch 'encouraging.'
BriaCell announced April 27 that its Bria-IMT cell-based peptide immunotherapy will be featured in three poster presentations and three publication-only abstracts at the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting (May 29–June 2, Chicago). Highlights include 12- and 24-month overall survival data with Bria-IMT plus checkpoint inhibition in advanced metastatic breast cancer, an updated quality-of-life and tolerability analysis, and a randomized Bria-ABC Phase 3 blood-biomarker progression-free survival readout. Three publication-only abstracts cover the second-generation BC1 platform, multi-analyte liquid biopsy stratification, and PD-L1 monitoring in circulating cancer-associated cells.