What to Know About the Most Anticipated Drug Launches of 2026

As we move through 2026, several high-profile medications are entering the market, promising new options for patients across a range of conditions. We sat down with Dr. Paul Bradley, Chief Medical Officer at Scripta Insights, to get his perspective on just how game-changing these drug launches could be for patients, plan sponsors, and the bigger healthcare landscape.

The GLP-1 Competition Heats Up

The GLP-1 market continues to dominate headlines, and new drugs from Novo Nordisk (CagriSema) and Eli Lilly (Orforglipron) show there are no signs of slowing down.

CagriSema, which combines semaglutide with cagrilintide, creating a dual-hormone approach to improve weight-loss outcomes. It is designed to compete more directly with Eli Lilly's Zepbound, which has shown superior efficacy in clinical studies compared to Wegovy. With clinical data consistently showing Zepbound outperforming Wegovy in weight loss, and similar patterns in their diabetes formulations, Novo needed to level the playing field.

If approved, Eli Lilly’s oral GLP-1, Orforglipron, could pave the way for more choices in GLP-1 options and, in turn, drive down prices of these miracle drugs.

A Much-Needed Solution for Essential Tremor

One launch that particularly excites us is a new treatment for essential tremor (Ulixacaltamide). This condition affects a significant number of patients as they get older, yet current treatment options often cause side effects worse than the tremor itself. For years, physicians have had to tell patients they could prescribe something, but the medicine would likely make them feel worse overall.

This new medication could fill a genuine gap in care. The challenge is that the demographic most affected by tremors—primarily Medicare patients—may still face affordability barriers despite improved coverage options.

Specialized Treatments: Cholesterol, Blood Pressure, and Breast Cancer

Several other notable launches target specific patient populations with improved formulations and dosing convenience:

A new treatment for multiple myeloma (Anito-cel), could be a potential “miracle in a box,” offering new hope for patients of this bone marrow cancer who haven’t responded as well to previous therapies.

A new blood pressure medication for difficult-to-control hypertension (Baxdrostat), is a once-daily oral therapy that targets aldosterone production, offering a novel approach for patients whose blood pressure remains uncontrolled despite multiple treatments.

New breast cancer treatments (Gedatolisib and Camizestrant) are also on the horizon to address a large patient population with much-needed therapy, though it will likely carry a price tag exceeding six figures annually.

The Orphan Drug Challenge

Some 2026 launches target extremely rare conditions. A new treatment for IgA nephropathy (Atacicept) –  a condition so rare that Dr. Bradley has only encountered one case in his entire practice – exemplifies the orphan drug category. These medications treat very limited patient populations, which drives manufacturers to set extraordinarily high prices to recoup development costs. In this case, a single pre-filled vial costs $30,000.

The FDA may also approve a treatment for the rare inflammatory disease Dermatomyositis (Brepocitinib). If this drug lives up to its claims, it could be considered a very valuable compound with a price tag that could cost a fortune.

For plan sponsors, orphan drugs present a unique risk. While the probability of having a member who needs one of these treatments is extremely low, a single patient can create significant budget impact.

What It Means for the Healthcare System

We’ve seen a notable shift in pharmaceutical developments. When Scripta Insights was founded, most drug spending was focused on hypertension, reflux, and cholesterol. Today's landscape looks dramatically different, with increasing focus on rare conditions that command six-figure annual price tags.

While the cost realities are sobering, they reflect the economics of drug development. Medical research requires enormous investment—often $1 billion or more—with no guarantee of success. Medications may fail at any stage, never reach the market, or be withdrawn after launch. This inherent risk necessitates significant returns on successful products.

The Bottom Line

The 2026 drug launches add important new therapeutic options, but they won't necessarily reduce overall spending. For obesity and breast cancer, these represent improvements over existing therapies rather than entirely new cost categories. The tremor treatment addresses a genuine unmet need, while orphan drugs serve tiny patient populations at premium prices.

For plan sponsors, success means distinguishing between genuine clinical advancement and incremental improvements at premium prices. Understanding pricing nuances—like the gap between cash and insurance pricing for GLP-1s, or the specialized coverage needed for ultra-expensive orphan drugs—is critical for managing costs while ensuring member access.

At Scripta, we believe the best medication isn't always the newest or most expensive drug that hits the market. It's about finding the right medication for the patient's specific condition, delivered at the best and most accessible price for the patient.