New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) for drug development are transforming biomedical research by replacing or complementing animal models. More than 90% of experimental compounds fail in clinical trials, underscoring the need for strategies that better capture human biology. Many of these techniques were showcased at the 2026 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting.

The development of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists, such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, has been a game changer in the clinical management of overweight and obesity, but there is interpersonal variability in efficacy of these medications for weight loss, as well as in the incidence of undesired side effects. Investigators from the 23andMe Research Institute have shed some light on how variations in the GLP-1R and GIP receptor (GIPR) genes impact their effectiveness and the occurrence of side effects.

An international team led by Australia’s Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) has created the first authoritative atlas for a class of enzymes that regulate almost every cellular process in the human body. The new atlas identifies 672 high-confidence E3 ligases and provides a new reference framework for disease biology and targeted protein degradation research.