An RNA therapy that preserves muscle while cutting visceral fat, a first in class oral non incretin obesity pill, late stage lung cancer portfolio data, NK cell immunotherapy in Alzheimer’s disease, and the first human trial of a cellular rejuvenation medicine headline a packed week of clinical results.
This week delivered a striking range of clinical trial data, from new mechanisms in obesity and metabolic disease through to oncology, neurodegenerative disease, and a pioneering cellular rejuvenation approach in dermatology reflecting the breadth of clinical trial results 27 March 2026 highlights. This week’s results reflect a clinical landscape that is diversifying rapidly, with novel therapeutic modalities including RNA interference, NK cell immunotherapy, and senescent cell targeting joining more established pharmacological approaches.
Wave Life Sciences Reports Muscle Sparing Fat Loss from Single Dose RNA Therapy in Obesity
Wave Life Sciences announced on 26 March updated six month follow up data from the Phase 1 portion of its INLIGHT trial evaluating WVE 007, an investigational RNA interference (RNAi) therapy that silences the INHBE gene. A single 240 mg subcutaneous dose produced a placebo adjusted 14 per cent reduction in visceral fat (p<0.05), a 5 per cent reduction in total fat, a 3 per cent reduction in waist circumference, and a 2 per cent increase in lean mass at six months.
The preservation of muscle mass is a particularly notable finding. One of the most discussed limitations of current GLP 1 receptor agonist therapies is the loss of lean mass alongside fat. Wave reported that WVE 007’s improvement in visceral fat to muscle ratio at six months exceeded that observed with weekly semaglutide in a later stage trial, despite INLIGHT participants having a substantially lower baseline BMI of approximately 32 kg/m² compared with approximately 37 kg/m² in comparative studies.
Activin E suppression remained durable, with mean maximum reductions of up to 88 per cent sustained through at least seven months, supporting potential once or twice yearly dosing. The drug was generally safe and well tolerated, with no serious treatment emergent adverse events reported. Wave plans to initiate a Phase 2a multidose study in individuals with higher BMI (35 to 50 kg/m²) and comorbidities in the second quarter of 2026.
Novo Nordisk and Lexicon Begin Phase 1 Trial of First in Class Oral Non Incretin Obesity Drug
Lexicon Pharmaceuticals and Novo Nordisk announced on 23 March the initiation of a Phase 1 clinical trial for LX9851, a first in class oral non incretin drug candidate for obesity and associated metabolic disorders. The trial is evaluating the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of single and multiple ascending doses of LX9851 compared with placebo in 96 people living with overweight or obesity, with completion expected in the first quarter of 2027.
LX9851 is a potent and selective oral small molecule inhibitor of Acyl CoA Synthetase 5 (ACSL5), an enzyme involved in pathways governing fat accumulation and energy balance. It may also trigger the ileal brake mechanism, promoting satiety by slowing gastric emptying and reducing appetite. Preclinical data presented at Obesity Week 2024 showed that LX9851, when combined with semaglutide, significantly reduced weight, food intake, and fat mass compared with semaglutide alone. Importantly, LX9851 also mitigated weight regain and showed positive effects on liver steatosis when introduced after semaglutide discontinuation, suggesting potential as both a standalone and combination therapy.
Novo Nordisk obtained an exclusive worldwide licence to develop and commercialise LX9851 under a March 2025 agreement. Lexicon has earned a second $10 million milestone payment following initial dosing and is eligible to receive up to $1 billion in total upfront and milestone payments, plus tiered royalties on net sales.
BioNTech Presents Late Stage Lung Cancer Portfolio Data at European Lung Cancer Congress 2026
BioNTech announced on 24 March a series of clinical data presentations across its lung cancer portfolio at the European Lung Cancer Congress (ELCC 2026) in Copenhagen, spanning both oral and poster sessions.
Gotistobart in Squamous NSCLC: Results from Stage 1 of the global Phase 3 PRESERVE 003 trial showed clinically meaningful survival outcomes and antitumour activity for gotistobart (BNT316/ONC 392), a tumour microenvironment selective regulatory T cell depletion candidate targeting CTLA 4, compared with the current standard of care in second line or later therapy of squamous non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Gotistobart is being developed in collaboration with OncoC4, Inc.
Pumitamig Across Multiple Lung Cancer Subtypes: BioNTech also presented updated data for pumitamig (BNT327/BMS986545), a bispecific immunomodulator combining PD L1 checkpoint inhibition and VEGF A neutralisation, developed with Bristol Myers Squibb. Updated follow up from a Phase 2 trial showed encouraging antitumour activity and survival outcomes in first line extensive stage small cell lung cancer (ES SCLC). New Phase 1b/2a findings in first line NSCLC demonstrated preliminary antitumour activity regardless of PD L1 expression levels. Additional Phase 2 data in EGFR mutant NSCLC showed clinically meaningful survival outcomes in patients progressing on EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
BioNTech’s lung cancer programme now spans 16 ongoing clinical trials across various subtypes and lines of treatment, including four pivotal Phase 3 trials and five novel novel combination studies.
NK Cell Therapy Shows Dose Responsive Cognitive Improvements in Moderate Alzheimer’s Disease
NKGen Biotech presented pooled Phase 1 data on 23 March from two completed open label trials of troculeucel, an autologous natural killer (NK) cell immunotherapy, in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The data, shared at the AD/PD 2026 conference in Copenhagen, showed that 92 per cent of all patients across both trials had stable or improved cognitive function.
In analyses focused specifically on patients with moderate stage disease, 100 per cent remained stable or improved at three months, with 50 per cent showing improvement from moderate to mild cognitive function as measured by CDR SB scores. Higher cell doses (4 to 6 billion cells) were associated with more frequent clinically meaningful improvements, and early signs of durability were observed at 12 months in two patients who continued therapy. Troculeucel was well tolerated, with no treatment related adverse events reported across either study.
In a separate poster, NKGen reported that plasma GFAP, a biomarker of neuroinflammation, showed strong and consistent correlations with clinical measures of disease severity (r up to 0.76, p≤0.009). These correlations were maintained after treatment and strengthened at higher doses, supporting GFAP’s potential as a non invasive biomarker for tracking treatment response. A Phase 2 trial in moderate Alzheimer’s disease is actively enrolling.
Rubedo Life Sciences Reports First Human Data for Cellular Rejuvenation Therapy in Skin Disease
Rubedo Life Sciences announced on 26 March preliminary results from its Phase 1 trial of RLS 1496, described as the first human trial of a GPX4 (selective glutathione peroxidase 4) modulator. The single centre, ascending dose, randomised, double blind, vehicle controlled study enrolled patients with plaque psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and skin ageing.
The trial met its primary safety endpoint and also demonstrated a statistically significant relationship between target engagement and clinical improvement. In psoriasis patients, RLS 1496 was associated with a reduction of senescent cells and inflammatory cytokines including IL 19 and S100A7, alongside an average 20 per cent reduction in epidermal thickness after one month of treatment. In atopic dermatitis, even higher levels of target engagement and substantial clinical improvement were observed, with 25 per cent of patients on RLS 1496 achieving a four point or greater change in pruritus scores on the numeric rating scale.
Rubedo also reported that spatial transcriptomics and proteomics data indicated increased collagen gene and protein expression with treatment over time. These results were previewed at the Dermatology Innovation Forum during the AAD 2026 Annual Meeting in Denver, with a full oral presentation planned at the Society for Investigative Dermatology conference in May 2026. A Phase 1b/2a study in actinic keratosis (precancerous skin lesions) is currently under way in the United States, with completion expected later this year.
AAD 2026 Delivers Landmark Dermatology Data Across Multiple Conditions
The 2026 AAD Annual Meeting in Denver continued to generate significant clinical data this week, with several late breaking presentations highlighting progress across some of dermatology’s most challenging conditions.
Envudeucitinib in Plaque Psoriasis: Alumis presented Phase 3 data showing 74 per cent of patients achieved PASI 75 at week 16, approximately 65 per cent achieved PASI 90 by week 24, and over 40 per cent reached complete skin clearance (PASI 100), with no new safety signals. A new drug application filing is planned for the second half of 2026.
Brepocitinib in Dermatomyositis: Priovant Therapeutics presented results from the Phase 3 VALOR trial, the first randomised placebo controlled Phase 3 study to demonstrate efficacy in dermatomyositis. The trial enrolled 241 patients and met its primary endpoint at week 52 (p=0.0006), with all nine key secondary endpoints also met. The FDA has granted Priority Review, with a target action date in Q3 2026. If approved, brepocitinib would become the first targeted therapy for this debilitating condition.
Upadacitinib in Vitiligo: AbbVie’s upadacitinib (Rinvoq) met both co primary endpoints in the Viti Up Phase 3 programme involving approximately 614 patients. Regulatory submissions have been filed with both the FDA and EMA. If approved, it would become the first systemic therapy indicated for vitiligo.
Povorcitinib in Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Incyte’s selective oral JAK1 inhibitor met the primary endpoint in both Phase 3 STOP HS trials, each enrolling approximately 600 patients. The 54 week dataset being presented at AAD 2026 represents the most comprehensive durability evidence for any oral therapy in hidradenitis suppurativa to date. No major adverse cardiovascular events or deaths were observed through week 24.
Looking Ahead
This week’s clinical results 27 March 2026 illustrate just how rapidly the clinical landscape is diversifying. In obesity, Wave’s muscle sparing RNA therapy and Novo Nordisk’s non incretin oral candidate signal that the field is moving decisively beyond GLP 1 monotherapy. BioNTech’s expanding lung cancer portfolio demonstrates the growing depth of bispecific and immunomodulatory approaches in oncology. In neurology, the NK cell therapy data in Alzheimer’s disease, though early stage, add to a growing body of evidence supporting immunomodulatory strategies. And Rubedo’s first human results for a senescent cell targeting therapy mark an intriguing new frontier for dermatology and ageing research. Life Science Daily News will continue to bring you comprehensive, timely coverage of the clinical trial results 27 March 2026 and beyond, delivering the results that matter most to patients, clinicians, and the broader life science community.
This clinical trials roundup is produced by the Life Science Daily News editorial team. All stories are selected and written independently.
