Cardiovascular Video Recap—January 29, 2026

Welcome to the latest edition of Cardiovascular Updates, covering the latest breakthroughs. Brought to you by LucidQuest, this update highlights:

Canada has approved the first daily GLP-1 pill for cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetes. Rybelsus, oral semaglutide, is now indicated to improve glycemic control and reduce major cardiovascular events in adults with type 2 diabetes at elevated risk, supported by the SOUL trial of roughly ten thousand adults with existing cardiovascular disease or high risk, on top of lifestyle measures. Expect new competition that could influence pricing and formulary access, especially for injection-averse patients.

Women’s heart health steps into the spotlight with She-Heals, a global program funded with a ten million dollar network award through GCRFF members and spanning thirteen institutions across seven countries. The largest planned trial will detect silent atherosclerosis in peri- and early post-menopausal women and test whether earlier prevention targeting risk factors can halt or even reverse arterial changes. The program will also evaluate links between age at menopause, hormone therapy, and risk. Strong design and confounding control will be essential for decision-making by clinicians and payers.

Imaging may help forecast arrhythmia risk. An observational cohort of two hundred seven patients followed for a median of three point three five years found that atrial FDG uptake on cardiac Pet was associated with higher incident atrial fibrillation, with right-atrial predominance and a hazard ratio around three point six. While causality is not established, FDG avidity could enrich surveillance and refine timing of referral for ablation in high-risk groups.
Industry partnerships are accelerating translation. A five-year Bayer and Vanderbilt University Medical Center collaboration will span target identification through IND, leveraging the BioVU DNA and plasma datasets to advance discovery across cardiovascular and kidney disease. The strategy pairs real-world data with translational expertise to move candidates through the pipeline more efficiently.

Electrophysiology gains a dual-energy tool. Abbott secured a CE mark for the TactiFlex Duo catheter that enables pulsed field ablation and radiofrequency within the same procedure, allowing operators to tailor energy to anatomy and real-time response. Approval followed the Focalflex CE-mark study, and a United States IDE trial is underway.

Lipid management continues to expand beyond statins. In the Phase 3 Vesalius-CV trial of more than twelve thousand high-risk patients without prior myocardial infarction or stroke, evolocumab reduced three-point MACE and a broader composite that included revascularization compared with placebo, on top of high-intensity background therapy. LDL fell about fifty-five percent to a median near forty-five milligrams per deciliter at forty-eight weeks, suggesting potential impact on guidelines and payer policies.

Endocrine signals may refine risk stratification in diabetes. In a Diabetes Care analysis using Look Ahead biospecimens, men with type 2 diabetes and higher baseline testosterone had lower cardiovascular risk, while rises in estradiol were linked to higher risk. No meaningful associations were reported in women. Observational design and residual confounding should guide interpretation.

Antithrombotic innovation approaches the podium. Bayer’s asundexian, a factor XIa inhibitor, will headline the International Stroke Conference with primary results from Oceanic-CV in secondary stroke prevention. The trial enrolled more than twelve thousand three hundred patients with acute non-cardioembolic stroke or high-risk TIA. Bayer reports that primary efficacy and safety endpoints were met, with detailed results and subtype analyses pending. Asundexian remains investigational.

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