As the year draws to a close, clinical research is picking up momentum with a wave of impactful developments across diagnostics, therapeutics, and research methodologies. A landmark Australian blood test for endometriosis has shown promise in reducing the average seven-year diagnosis delay for millions of women, earning praise from gynaecologists and researchers for filling a long-standing clinical void. If further trials go well, the non-invasive test could be available within six months, delivering highly anticipated relief for countless patients.

Meanwhile, BioNTech and its partner OncoC4 received good news: the FDA lifted a partial clinical hold on their late-stage lung cancer trial of gotistobart. Enrollment will now focus solely on patients with squamous non–small cell lung cancer, enabling the trial to continue smoothly.

However, not all results were positive. Roche’s mid-stage trial of prasinezumab in early Parkinson’s disease patients did not meet its primary endpoint in delaying motor symptom progression. Despite this setback, the drug showed encouraging trends in secondary measures and was well tolerated, prompting the company to continue analysis and consult with regulators on next steps.

On a brighter note, Alzheimer’s research made significant strides: Eli Lilly’s amyloid-targeting therapy donanemab (Kisunla) earned FDA approval for slowing disease progression. Accompanying advances in blood diagnostics, support programs for dementia care, and environmental health insights—such as the link between wildfire smoke and dementia—rounded out a year of diverse innovation in neurodegeneration.

Lastly, Europe celebrated a pioneering step in cancer immunotherapy when a Scottish patient became the first in Europe to receive Moderna and MSD’s personalized mRNA cancer vaccine for gastro-oesophageal cancer. The trial, now run from Dundee, expands the frontiers of precision oncology and represents hope for tailored, less toxic cancer treatments.