I read this stuff so you don’t have to sit in a journal database at midnight. Here is what actually moved this summer, in plain language, with links so you can check me.
1. The FDA approved the first drug shown to lower the risk of an acute attack
On 24 June 2026 the FDA approved Tryngolza (olezarsen) to reduce triglycerides and the risk of acute pancreatitis in adults with severe hypertriglyceridemia, meaning fasting triglycerides of 500 mg/dL or higher. It’s a once-a-month injection under the skin, used alongside diet.
Why this one matters: other triglyceride drugs have existed for years, but the FDA says none of their trials had enough actual pancreatitis cases to prove the attacks went down. This is the first with that claim on the label. Two trials, 1,061 adults, average starting triglycerides of 1,116 mg/dL. Triglycerides fell 49 to 72 percent versus placebo at six months depending on trial and dose.
Who this is for: people whose pancreatitis is driven by very high triglycerides. If your attacks were gallstone or alcohol related, this isn’t your drug. Worth knowing your number either way, and I’ve written about that separately.
Side effects reported most often were injection site reactions and raised liver enzymes, so liver testing before starting and during treatment is part of it.
2. The enzyme supply story is still not over
Creon supply is still constrained in several countries. Australia’s TGA lists the 25,000 and 35,000 unit capsules as supply constrained until 31 January 2027 on the manufacturer’s own notification. In the United States, Creon is not on the FDA’s shortage list right now, though patients keep reporting that specific strengths are hard to get at specific pharmacies.
Root cause hasn’t changed: the enzymes come from pig pancreas, demand went up faster than supply, and you can’t spin up new capacity in a quarter.
What I do about it: order the refill when I hit two weeks left, not two days, and I ask the pharmacist to order early rather than assume. If you have to switch brand or strength, match total lipase units per meal, not capsule count.
3. New evidence on feeding people sooner after an attack
A 2026 systematic review and network meta-analysis in Pancreatology pooled 23 randomized trials covering 2,095 patients and compared feeding strategies in acute pancreatitis. Early oral nutrition came out best on overall mortality, and early enteral feeding reduced organ failure compared to waiting.
This lines up with what a lot of us experienced from the other side: the old “rest the pancreas, nil by mouth for days” approach has been fading for a while. Being asked to sip and then eat while you still feel rough is not your team rushing you.
Provisional flag: a network meta-analysis compares treatments that were often never tested head to head. It’s good evidence for a direction of travel, not a rule for your specific admission. Your team decides based on your severity.
4. Diabetes after pancreatitis keeps getting attention
The American Diabetes Association’s advice is to screen for diabetes 3 to 6 months after an episode of acute pancreatitis, then annually. That is not new this month, but it keeps coming up in the 2026 literature because so many of us never get told. If you were hospitalized and nobody has checked your HbA1c since, that’s a question for your next appointment.
Stepan’s Rule: every new drug headline needs one question before you get excited: is this for my type of pancreatitis? Triglyceride drugs, gallstone surgery, alcohol cessation, and enzyme therapy fix four different problems. Find yours first.
I am a patient, not a doctor. None of this is medical advice, and none of it replaces the person who has your scans.
I do this roundup every month, and the discussion afterwards is where it gets useful, because someone always knows something I don’t. Join the PancreasZen community and bring your questions.