RheumNow ACR 2017 Awards Save

The Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology is a gargantuan educational and professional event that is on nearly everyone's radar each year. 

It can be overwhelming in that it is attended by over 17,000 and has almost 300 sessions presenting over 3200 scientific presentations.  For these reasons, sessions like Rheumatology Roundup and the Year In Review are highly popular - as everyone wants to be sure they find out what was big, important or impactful.

RheumNow had an expansive effort to cover this meeting and you can review the work of our faculty at ACR17.RheumNow.com. We have decided to take this one step further by announcing our 2017 RheumNow ACR Awards.

These awards are intended to acknowledge the excellence and impact of these presentations at the 2017 ACR meeting in San Diego.  Winners were selected from voting tabulated by the RheumNow Secret Viscosity Tribunal - of which there are 49 voting members  (only 9 of whom are willing to be identified). The SVT was asked to provide their one best abstract or presentation for each of the categories below.  These are the award winners (and in some cases, the honorable others):

Rheumatoid Arthritis 

• Yun et al - Rates of Malignancy Associated with Anti-TNF Agents and Subsequent Biologic Use after Malignancy Using U.S. SEER Registry Data https://buff.ly/2B1nwUp

RA Biologics 

• Burmester et al - A Phase 3 Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Study of Upadacitinib (ABT-494), a Selective JAK-1 Inhibitor, in Patients with Active Rheumatoid Arthritis with Inadequate Response to Conventional Synthetic Dmards  https://buff.ly/2zp2ToK

Lupus

• van Vollenhoven - Efficacy and Safety of Ustekinumab, an Interleukin 12/23Inhibitor, in Patients with Active Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Results of a Phase 2, Randomized Placebo-Controlled Study. https://buff.ly/2zps5eS
• (Honorable mentions: A) APS as a complementopathy - Dr. Petri's lecture; B) New SLE ACR/Eular guidelines announcement; C) Dr. Greg Silvermans Plenary lecture on role of the Microbiome and dsDNA antibodies 

Gout

• Sands et al - Initial Phase 2 Clinical Data of SEL-212 in Symptomatic Gout Patients: Monthly Dosing of a Pegylated Uricase (Pegsiticase) with Svp-Rapamycin Enables Sustained Reduction of Serum Uric Acid Levels By Mitigating Formation of Anti-Drug Antibodies https://buff.ly/2mOmiJQ

Psoriatic Arthritis

• Mease et al - Efficacy and Safety Results from a Phase 2 Trial of Risankizumab, a Selective IL-23p19 Inhibitor, in Patients with Active Psoriatic Arthritis. https://buff.ly/2iEAroh
• (Honorable mention: Ixekizumab in PsA, and FUTURE5 data from Dr. Mease)

Ankylosing Spondylitis/Spondyloarthritis 

• Chan et al - The Risk of Deep Venous Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism in Ankylosing Spondylitis: A General Population-Based Study.  https://buff.ly/2iCDOfw

Best New Biologic 

• Fischer et al - The Novel Anti-CD40 Monoclonal Antibody CFZ533 Shows Beneficial Effects in Patients with Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome: A Phase IIa Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Randomized Trial. https://buff.ly/2iDYfsA
• Honorable mention: mepolizumab for EGPA; and tocilizumab in GCA)

Most Impactful Presentation

• Park et al - Temporary Methotrexate Discontinuation for 2 Weeks Improves Immunogenicity of Seasonal Influenza Vaccination in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Randomized Clinical Trial  http://ow.ly/Xt1k30fMvrE 
• (Honorable mention: A) Inclusion body myositis treated by and rapamycin https://buff.ly/2mNksZH or B) Impact of bisphosphonates drug holiday on new fracture rates. https://buff.ly/2mMFsQ4

Best Meeting Moment 

• The Poster floor (especially the Late Breaking Posters) – its were science meets the most interesting people. 
• Fellowship – nearly all respondents said their favorite moments were the impromptu meetings, drinks, sit-downs with contemporaries, old friends, favorite fellows.  For most this is what they treasure most!
• (Honorable Mentions: A)  The Great Debate – Kay vs. Fleishmann and B)  Anthony Fauci’s talk at the opening session Saturday night.