5 Gastroenterology Headlines You Missed in September 2026

Gastroenterology news in September 2026 centered on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), from phase 2 data for a new interleukin-23 (IL-23) inhibitor in ulcerative colitis to the role of gut fungi in disease activity, along with new research in chronic pancreatitis and Clostridioides difficile infection.

In ulcerative colitis, Spyre Therapeutics reported that SPY003, an extended half-life IL-23 antibody, met the primary endpoint of the open-label portion of the phase 2 SKYLINE-UC trial, with a placebo-controlled portion now underway. A separate study in Nature Medicine examined whether treating fungal overgrowth with an antifungal could affect IBD activity.

IBD coverage also looked at how treatment success is defined. The comprehensive disease control framework sets a goal that extends beyond symptom relief and bowel inflammation to include patients' overall function and quality of life.

Outside IBD, a meta-analysis estimated that exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) affects 40% of patients with chronic pancreatitis, with estimates varying by diagnostic test and region. Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center also identified a gene module that helps C difficile resist the antibiotic bacitracin, a potential target for adjunctive therapy.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

SPY003 Meets Primary Endpoint in Phase 2 Trial for Ulcerative Colitis

On September 8, 2026, Spyre Therapeutics announced that SPY003 met the primary endpoint in Part A of the phase 2 SKYLINE-UC platform trial. Among 44 patients receiving open-label monotherapy, Robarts Histopathology Index scores showed a 10.0-point reduction from baseline at week 12. Clinical remission occurred in 20% of patients and endoscopic improvement in 30%. Topline data from Part B, which includes combination arms, are expected in 2027.

Antifungal Therapy Eased IBD Activity, With Iliyan D. Iliev, PhD

Iliyan D. Iliev, PhD, of Weill Cornell Medicine, discusses his study of 53 patients with IBD and oral thrush, in which fluconazole, but not nystatin rinse, was associated with improved disease activity in both ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease over 8 weeks. He covers the line between commensal fungi and fungal overgrowth, the need for placebo-controlled trials, and why short-term, targeted antifungal therapy may be more practical than long-term use.

What Comprehensive Disease Control Means for IBD, With David Rubin, MD

David T. Rubin, MD, director of the IBD Center at the University of Chicago, explains comprehensive disease control, a treatment target that combines symptomatic remission, normalized markers of inflammation, and functional remission. He discusses why patients who feel well may still have active inflammation and how extraintestinal factors such as joint pain, depression, and sexual health fit into IBD care.

Research

Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency Estimated in 40% of Chronic Pancreatitis

A meta-analysis in the Journal of Pancreatology of 14 studies including 7,663 patients with chronic pancreatitis estimated a pooled EPI prevalence of 40.0%. Prevalence ranged from 52.1% with fecal elastase-1 testing to 21.1% with fecal fat testing, and smoking was associated with 51% higher odds of EPI. The authors called for standardized diagnostic protocols.

C Diff Resistance to Bacitracin Reveals Potential Drug Target

In a study in Science Signaling, Vanderbilt researchers found that C difficile uses a 6-component gene module to resist bacitracin, an antibiotic produced by commensal gut bacteria, while adapting to iron-limited conditions in the host. In mice infected with strains lacking key module genes, bacitracin reduced bacterial burden to undetectable levels and all mice survived. The findings suggest that blocking the module could restore bacitracin sensitivity.