S2 Ep75: Recapping the AAN 2026 Annual Meeting: Neurologic Disease Treatment Is Rapidly Evolving

This inaugural episode of Mind the Meds introduces neurology pharmacy practice through a discussion between 3 neurology pharmacists working across inpatient and outpatient settings at the University of Utah. Host Erica Marini, PharmD, meets with her colleagues, Sarah Dahoney, PharmD, and Tyler Kenny, PharmD, BCCCP, both of whom are clinical pharmacists at the University of Utah Health, to discuss the research presented at the 2026 American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting. After sharing their diverse professional “origin stories,” the conversation then shifts to the role of pharmacists in neurology care and highlights key updates from the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting.
The hosts discuss advances in neuromuscular disease, particularly myasthenia gravis, where emerging therapies such as FcRn inhibitors and CAR T-cell therapies are reshaping treatment paradigms. They also explore rare neurological conditions like stiff person syndrome and Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD), where early-phase trials suggest promising but still preliminary therapeutic options.
Finally, the episode reviews broader neurologic and systemic trends, including GLP-1 receptor agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors, noting potential but not yet definitive benefits in dementia prevention, stroke risk reduction, and migraine outcomes. Across all topics, the episode emphasizes the rapid evolution of neurological therapeutics and the expanding role of pharmacists in maneuvering complex, high-cost, and highly specialized treatments.

Key Takeaways:

1. Neurology pharmacy is highly collaborative and evolving, with non-linear career pathways. Pharmacists in neurology often enter the field through diverse experiences rather than a standardized training pipeline, and success depends heavily on adaptability, clinical curiosity, and initiative.
2. Pharmacists play a critical role in optimizing complex neurological therapies and care transitions. Their contributions span inpatient safety monitoring, outpatient medication access and affordability support, and ensuring continuity of care for high-risk, high-cost therapies.
3. Neurology therapeutics are rapidly advancing, but many emerging treatments remain early-stage. New therapies such as FcRn inhibitors, CAR T-cell approaches, and complement-targeting agents show promise across conditions like myasthenia gravis and rare neuroimmunologic diseases, while broader drug classes like GLP-1s are still under investigation for neurological benefits.