Wegovy is stepping up a gear. On March 20, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) greenlit a new 7.2 mg dose of Wegovy, three times the maximum dose used to date. This semaglutide-based treatment, developed by Danish laboratory Novo Nordisk, has in recent years become the world's most prescribed anti-obesity medication. The new dosage, approved after an accelerated review of only 54 days, is expected to lead to significantly greater weight loss. Across the Channel, the UK's National Health Service (NHS) immediately announced that 1.2 million patients with cardiovascular disease could be prescribed Wegovy, not for weight loss, but to prevent heart attacks and strokes. A world first, opening a new chapter in the use of GLP-1 molecules.
Alzheimer's: Unexpected hope from the lab. This may be the most significant news of early this year. On March 31, the scientific journal ScienceAlert revealed that a team of researchers had developed a compound capable of reversing cognitive decline in mice with Alzheimer's disease. Unlike current treatments like lecanemab, which attempt to clear amyloid plaques accumulated in the brain, this new molecule takes a radically different therapeutic path. A few weeks earlier, in February, scientists from Indiana University identified a novel neural enzyme that could reduce these famous plaques while improving brain lipid metabolism. And in mid-March, a Flemish team finally unraveled the mechanism of action of lecanemab: it's a specific fragment of the antibody, called the Fc fragment, that activates the brain's immune cells—microglia—to eliminate toxic deposits.
Lung cancer: France confirms the effectiveness of preoperative immunotherapy. At the end of March, the Curie Institute published the results of a 'real-world' study that reinforces a still-recent therapeutic strategy: administering immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy before operating on patients with non-small cell lung cancer. With over 52,000 new cases per year in France, this cancer remains the deadliest. The idea of preparing the patient's immune system before surgery, so it is already mobilized against the tumor, is now establishing itself as the new standard of care. And this time, it's no longer just controlled clinical trials demonstrating this, but real-world data from French hospitals.
Immune cells reprogrammed to fight leukemia. Also in March, a spectacular breakthrough was presented in the field of cell therapy. Researchers have succeeded in genetically modifying immune cells taken from healthy donors, transforming them into 'living weapons' capable of targeting and destroying cancer cells. This approach, tested on patients with advanced leukemia resistant to conventional treatments, paves the way for truly personalized medicine, where the patient's own defense system is reprogrammed to overcome the disease.
GLP-1s: Much more than weight-loss drugs. Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro: these names have become familiar to the general public, but their potential extends far beyond treating obesity and diabetes. In 2026, clinical trials are exploring their effectiveness against cardiovascular diseases, peripheral artery disease, heart failure, and even—the most audacious prospect—Alzheimer's disease and certain addictions. Novo Nordisk is already preparing the next generation with CagriSema, a combination of two molecules currently under FDA review. According to the specialist site GoodRx, GLP-1s are poised to redefine preventive medicine as we know it.
And for French patients? Behind these exciting announcements, one question remains: who will have access, and when? In France, Wegovy is still not reimbursed by social security for obesity treatment, while the UK has just included it in the NHS for cardiac patients. Preoperative immunotherapy is becoming widespread in hospitals, but regional inequalities persist. As for Alzheimer's treatments, they remain experimental for now. These three revolutions—immunotherapy, GLP-1s, and research into neurodegenerative diseases—are shaping a more precise, more preventive, and more ambitious medicine. It remains to be ensured that it is also fairer.
