Alana Hippensteele, Lead Editor

Juan Ovalles, MD, PhD, discusses how high placebo response rates driven by background therapy complicate lupus drug trials, and outlines evolving strategies in trial design, clinical practice, and pharmacist-led care to ensure investigational biologics are fairly evaluated and appropriately used in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Vincent Chung, MD, discusses key findings from the NAPOLI-3 trial and offers guidance for pharmacists on managing toxicities, adjusting dosing, and supporting patients receiving NALIRIFOX for metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Laura Momoko Asakura, PharmD, BCOP, BCSPS, discusses the equitable use of oncology treatment pathway tools, highlighting that their utilization remains consistent across patient groups regardless of race, ethnicity, or insurance status.

Frank Qian, MD, MPH, discusses the integration of omega-3 fatty acid therapy alongside statins and PCSK9 inhibitors in cardiovascular risk management, highlighting the distinct mechanisms of benefit and lack of significant drug interactions.

Bempedoic acid is an effective option for statin-intolerant patients or those needing additional low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction, with clinical trials showing cardiovascular benefits, key drug-drug interaction considerations, and special management factors in patients with comorbidities.

Kausik K. Ray, MD, discussed the importance of early, aggressive, and sustained LDL-C lowering for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease prevention, highlighting that the magnitude of cardiovascular risk reduction is independent of the specific lipid-lowering therapy used.

Børge G. Nordestgaard, MD, DMSc, discussed the role of remnant cholesterol as an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and the emerging therapies that may help manage residual cardiovascular risk beyond low-density lipoprotein cholesterol reduction.

Incretin-based therapies, including GLP-1 and dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonists, are transforming the management of type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular risk.

Frank Qian, MD, MPH, discusses clinical considerations for omega-3 fatty acid therapy, such as the patient populations who may benefit most and important safety concerns.

Frank Qian, MD, MPH, discusses the clinical indications, dosing strategies, and cardiovascular outcomes data for prescription omega-3 fatty acids, including the ongoing debate about EPA vs EPA-DHA formulations and the implications of recent trial findings.

GLP-1 receptor agonists, including semaglutide and tirzepatide, significantly reduce cardiometabolic risk factors such as dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, obstructive sleep apnea, chronic kidney disease, and cardiovascular events, with evidence suggesting that some of these benefits may occur independently of weight loss.

At the 2025 National Lipid Association (NLA) Scientific Sessions, Marlys L. Koschinsky, PhD, FNLA, discusses the role of Lp(a) in cardiovascular risk and the emerging therapies designed to target and lower Lp(a) levels.

Emerging therapies targeting apolipoprotein C-III (ApoC3) are demonstrating significant promise in lowering triglycerides and reducing cardiovascular risk for patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia and rare disorders, such as familial chylomicronemia syndrome.

Sander Kersten, PhD, discusses the distinct roles of ANGPTL3 and ANGPTL4 in lipid metabolism, their interactions with key enzymes, the therapeutic potential of targeting these pathways in lipid-lowering strategies, and important considerations for pharmacists counseling patients on emerging ANGPTL-targeted therapies.

Katherine H. Saunders, MD, DABOM, explores the role of pharmacists in supporting long-term weight management with GLP-1 therapies, including strategies for counseling on lifestyle interventions, managing adverse effects, and ensuring patients receive individualized, evidence-based care.

Two abstracts from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting demonstrate that pretreatment DPYD genotyping improves the safety and cost-effectiveness of fluoropyrimidine chemotherapy, with oncology pharmacists playing a pivotal role in implementing and optimizing genotype-guided dosing strategies.

Corrine Stahura, PharmD, and Sophia Gilardone, PharmD, BCOP, discuss recent clinical trial data and evolving guideline recommendations for HER2- and HER3-directed antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), highlighting differences in efficacy, safety, and patient selection criteria.

Hope Rugo, MD, discusses a multi-institutional real-world analysis showing that rechallenging trastuzumab deruxtecan after grade 1 interstitial lung disease (ILD) is generally safe and effective.

Alice H. Lichtenstein, DSc, emphasizes the importance of whole-food dietary patterns over macronutrient percentages for improving lipid profiles and cardiovascular health.

Pre-treatment DPYD genotyping significantly reduces hospitalizations and costs for patients with cancer, enhancing safety and efficiency in oncology care.

Grace Nguyen, PharmD, BCPS, provides real-world experiences with DPYD genotype-guided fluoropyrimidine dosing, highlighting how pharmacist-led interventions and tailored dose adjustments can help mitigate toxicity risks and optimize treatment in variant carriers.

Corrine Stahura, PharmD, and Sophia Gilardone, PharmD, BCOP, discuss how patient- and treatment-related factors influence the risk of severe toxicity with antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

In this roundtable, 3 pharmacy faculty members reflect on how shifting federal priorities and the defunding of research initiatives have impacted their work, communities, and careers—while highlighting the power of resilience, solidarity, and reimagined academic impact in advancing public health equity.

Corrine Stahura, PharmD; and Sophia Gilardone, PharmD, BCOP, discuss the distinct adverse effect profiles of HER2- and HER3-targeted antibody-drug conjugates—particularly the risk and management of interstitial lung disease—and offer practical guidance based on clinical trial data and treatment protocols.

Christian John Lillis reflects on key insights from the 2025 Peggy Lillis Foundation C diff Summit, highlighting the critical role of pharmacists in infectious disease care, persistent challenges in patient outcomes, and the need for renewed investment in public health infrastructure and policy.

Christian John Lillis discusses the 2025 Peggy Lillis Foundation C diff Summit, emphasizing the enduring need for community-building among survivors, the importance of sustained public health advocacy, and the growing urgency to defend federal health agencies amid political and institutional uncertainty.

At the 2025 SPPCP Virtual Conference, Carolyn Hall, PharmD, BCPS, and Maria Felton Lowry, PharmD, BCPS, BCGP, presented a comprehensive and practical framework for pharmacy professionals to build effective, adaptable mentorship relationships.

The report highlights the expanding role of pharmacists in navigating regulatory, financial, logistical, and clinical complexities to ensure safe, equitable, and effective delivery of cell and gene therapies amid a rapidly growing and evolving treatment landscape.

Glofitamab combined with GemOx shows promising survival benefits for patients with relapsed DLBCL, offering a new treatment option for those ineligible for transplants.

Naxitamab-gqgk has been added as a Category 2A recommendation in the updated National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines for high-risk neuroblastoma, reflecting growing consensus on its role in treating relapsed or refractory disease.