EndoQuest Robotics has received FDA clearance to move into the final stage of enrollment for its pivotal PARADIGM Trial — a milestone that quietly signals growing confidence in robotic-assisted endoscopic surgery. The decision follows a favorable interim safety review of the company’s investigational Endoluminal Surgical (ELS) System, designed to bring surgical-grade precision into procedures traditionally constrained by the limits of flexible endoscopy. Notably, early cases have already pushed historical boundaries, including what’s believed to be the first fully robotic ESD performed by a gastroenterologist within an IDE trial. What’s at stake here isn’t just another device approval. If successful, PARADIGM…
Author: Abhay Panchal
With 2025 now behind us, these top-read clinical research articles reflect a year marked by rapid advancement across gastroenterology and hepatology. From novel therapies to emerging technologies, the studies below helped shape clinical conversations and practice throughout the year.
A new analysis from Becker’s ASC Review captures a moment of quiet recalibration in weight management, as the explosive rise of GLP-1 medications reshapes volumes, patient pathways, and long-term strategy for ASCs and GI practices. On the surface, the data tells a stark story: surgical volumes are down while pharmacologic therapy surges. But look closer, and the relationship is far more entangled than a simple replacement narrative. Patients are increasingly moving between surgery and GLP-1s, not choosing one over the other — sometimes before surgery, sometimes after, and often when expected outcomes fall short. At the same time, policy signals…
32 Biosciences is set to debut a $40 million Series A raise at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, betting on a largely underexplored target in gastroenterology: the gut mucosal–immune interface. At the center of its strategy is a first-in-class mucosal-immune modulator designed not to suppress inflammation broadly, but to buffer and protect the gut barrier itself — an approach that reframes how surgical complications and chronic GI diseases might be prevented upstream. The initial focus is GI surgical site infections, but the implications stretch well beyond the operating room. What makes this raise notable isn’t just the asset entering the…
Daisy Genomics and New Day Diagnostics have announced a research collaboration that brings together two very different bets on early cancer detection: liquid biopsy and physics-based sequencing. The goal isn’t just better data — it’s removing long-standing bottlenecks that have limited how early, scalable, and affordable CRC screening can truly be. At the center of the effort is direct detection of epigenetic signals, including tumor-specific DNA methylation markers, without relying on traditional chemical amplification or sequencing workflows. If successful, this approach could reshape assumptions about what’s required to detect colorectal cancer at its earliest, most treatable stages. What makes this…
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and United Digestive have entered a new multi-year agreement that keeps United Digestive’s practices in-network for Anthem members across Georgia — but the implications go beyond network stability. Behind the announcement is a deeper alignment around how gastrointestinal care is delivered: integrated practice models, data-driven colorectal cancer prevention, and tighter digital connectivity aimed at reducing administrative friction. The partnership signals a shift from transactional contracting toward shared bets on access, outcomes, and operational efficiency at scale. What’s particularly notable is how United Digestive is positioning itself — not just as a provider group, but…
Researchers at Sinai Health have uncovered evidence that the immune system may signal Crohn’s disease long before diagnosis — quietly, invisibly, and well ahead of clinical symptoms. A simple blood test, they suggest, may be able to identify this risk in otherwise healthy individuals. The clue lies in how the immune system reacts to flagellin, a protein found on common gut bacteria. In a large, long-running cohort study of people with a family history of Crohn’s, elevated immune responses to this bacterial protein appeared years before disease onset. That timing challenges a long-held assumption: that immune dysfunction follows inflammation, rather…
In a deeply personal reflection spanning three generations of gastroenterologists, Dr. Sameer Berry argues that today’s GI practice bears little resemblance to what many physicians trained for. What once felt relational and manageable has evolved into a daily exercise in capacity constraints, reimbursement pressure, and administrative overload. Physician shortages are no longer a future risk — they are actively reshaping access, burnout, referral networks, and practice economics. Recruitment is slowing just as patient demand and clinical complexity accelerate, forcing practices into reactive modes that quietly erode growth and continuity of care. Technology alone, Berry suggests, won’t break this cycle. Instead,…
Watch this recap of The Scope Forward Show 2025 (Season 5) — a collection of the most in-depth conversations shaping the future of gastroenterology. To our guests: thank you for your honesty, generosity, and leadership. Your willingness to speak openly has helped make The Scope Forward Show a defining voice in GI over the last five years. Watch it here. Featured guests:Dr. Michael Dragutsky (Chairman, OneGI), Dr. Brennan Spiegel (Author, VRx), Bill Snyder (Founder and CEO, Cylinder), Asaf Kraus (Founder, Dieta Health), Dr. Casey Chapman (CMO, GI Alliance), Dr. Jonathan Ng (Founder, Iterative Health), Dr. Neil Parekh (CIO, GI Alliance), Matt Schwartz (Founder, Virgo), Leo Grady, PhD…
This edition of Sharma’s Endoscopy Insights highlights two key findings in colonoscopy practice. First, augmented reality (AR)–assisted endoscopy shows promise in improving procedural efficiency and reducing ergonomic injuries, as AR headsets can help endoscopists maintain a neutral posture during procedures. Second, a U.S. study found that patients with a positive stool-based screening test (FIT or multitarget stool DNA/Cologuard) have a higher prevalence of advanced adenomas throughout the colon, including a notably increased rate of right-sided advanced serrated polyps, reinforcing the importance of thorough colonoscopic evaluation after positive stool tests.