Recent News
Read ArticleNipocalimab, a neonatal Fc receptor blocker that reduces circulating IgG and autoantibodies, was shown to be effective in a phase 2 trial in patients with severe Sjögren's disease.A phase 2, double-blind, multicentre trial enrolled individuals with mod
Late-Breaking Trials in axSpA and PsA
https://t.co/EWeF0nkb1h https://t.co/HgY0be0PDX
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Diagnostic Delays in PsA: A Radiographic Perspective
Dr. Brian Jaros reports on abstract 1713 (Diagnostic Delay in Psoriatic Arthritis and its Impact on Radiological Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of 23,894 Patients), presented at #ACR25. https://t.co/iLllm7DcCF
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
S.Korean study of 481 pts w/ myositis (IIM) - 12.9% (n = 62) had myositis-assoc. cancer. CA risk factos= older age, male, current smoking, dermatomyositis, TIF1γ; but lower risk w/ anti-synthetase synd, overlap myositis, arthritis, & ILD. SCRIM score had AUROC = 0.852 https://t.co/MdU1fRWWgS
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Genentech announced positive results from the phase III DBRPCT ALLEGORY trial showin safety & efficacy of obinutuzumab in ~300 SLE pts on SOC. Results have yet to be presented publicly. https://t.co/4hoT9dBtPq
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Tapering in SELECT GCA: Steroids are the Problem
Dr. Mike Putman reports on abstract 0895 (Impact of Glucocorticoid Tapering in Giant Cell Arteritis: Analysis From the SELECT-GCA Trial) presented at #ACR25.
https://t.co/80Bl49uImB https://t.co/GjlHHjPW2u
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Systematic review of 10 studies showed TNFi exposure in utero not assoc w/ incr risk of infant severe infxn (4 RCTs); same for breast milk exposure (2 RCTs).
Infant vaccination outcomes unaffected by TNFi use, but rec delaying BCG vaccination if TNFi exposed https://t.co/02Nn6TuzR3
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Combining CAR-T with CAR-Treg All in One
Dr. Alfred Kim reports on abstract 0981 (GNTI-350: A CAR-Treg Therapy Offering Durable Immune Reset with Improved Safety for B Cell–Driven Autoimmune Diseases).
https://t.co/SXuLYyUCXo https://t.co/5CAzoGfOyf
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Bone Density in Ankylosing Spondylitis
At #ACR25, a retrospective study from China tackled this challenge using quantitative computed tomography (QCT), a more precise imaging modality that measures true volumetric bone density unaffected by cortical ossifications. https://t.co/1Z5cshkqjt
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
IL-23 Blockade Goes Oral
A new player is entering the IL-23 arena — and it’s a tablet! Icotrokinra (ICO), a first-in-class peptide that binds and blocks the IL-23R, is showing encouraging efficacy and safety across a range of psoriasis (PSO) and psoriatic disease (PsD) studies. https://t.co/MyqCjilYGL
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
#ACR25 RA Topic Panel
A focused conversation on the latest in psoriatic arthritis care — from emerging data and treatment strategies to real-world challenges in diagnosis and management. Hear expert perspectives, clinical pearls, and what’s shaping PsA practice right now. https://t.co/IIICdsB3uy
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Genetic Risks and Severe Cutaneous Reactions to Allopurinol
A matched cohort study shows that HLA-B*58:01 and HLA-A*34:02 are strongly associated with allopurinol-induced severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs), these alleles were absent in more than one-third of those affected, suggesting these are strong but incomplete indicators of SCAR risk.
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New ACR 2025 Guidelines for Non-Renal Lupus
MedPage Today
Written by Lisa Sammaritano, MD, of the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, and a committee of nearly 50 other experts, the new guideline also stipulates that corticosteroids are OK for gaining symptom control in newly diagnosed patients and when flares erupt, but the duration should be kept as short as possible.
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In 2024, 77 pts referred to Rheum for possible PMR were ultimately Dx w/ B19 viral infx. 96% had arthralgia & 7% had PMR-like features (5/5 w/ BL shoulder/neck. prolonged AM stiff, fever & Hi CRP/ESR - none had hip pain. 4/5 were male, w/ mean age of 55 yrs. None were RF/CCP+ https://t.co/AiK2K9whBH
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
There is a growing burden of #OA among middle-aged adults, rising by 123.7%, from 11.8 million in 1990 to 26.4 million in 2021. 56.5% of incident cases & 38% of prevalent cases occur in middle-aged group (70% higher than the elderly (>60 years) population). Highest in hi-income. https://t.co/JVpZ96qe0E
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
20-40% of Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is associated with other autoimmune diseases - lead by autoimmune thyroiditis, type 1 DM, ulcerative colitis, Crohn disease, & celiac (but less so for RA, PBC, SLE, Sjögren syndrome, vitiligo). AIH Dx Abs include ANA, ASMA, LKM1. https://t.co/I3ZPHiRgqZ
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Sjogren’s disease: two drugs with positive trials Sjogren’s disease: two drugs with positive trials
After several failures of therapies in Phase 3 trials of Sjogren’s disease (SjD) over many years, all hope is not lost! At #ACR25, not one but two drugs presented their efficacy https://t.co/kTTdZnVUtj
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
RETREAT study was a 12 wk RCT of Tai Chi in 178 knee OA pts Rx w/ online OA info vs same plus free web based tai chi video program. Tai Chi group had signif improved knee pain (−2.7 v -1.2); (−12 v −6.9) & achieved a minimal pain & function (73% v 47%); and Its free! https://t.co/WLzQ9YHrcu
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Off the Shelf: CAR-T
Dr. Akhil Sood reports on abstract 0663 (iPSC-Derived Off-the-Shelf anti-CD19 CAR T cells Deliver Improved Clinical Outcomes in Lupus with Reduced or No Conditioning Chemotherapy) presented at#ACR25.
https://t.co/mj4b5cCInC https://t.co/s34atFCMlx
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
AI in Fellow Recruitment: A New Dawn in Medical Education?
Drs. Mrinalini Dey and Bharat Kumar abstract 2174 (Using Natural Language Processing to Identify Character Strengths in Rheumatology Fellowship Candidate Applications: A Feasibility Study) presented at #ACR25. https://t.co/gGx4zZlfAm
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
From the blog
Podcasts
A JAKi in GCA- Phase 3 Results Through 2 Years
The Interview (11.7.2025)
ACR 2025 SpA Topic Panel
ACR 2025 CAR-T Topic Panel
Therapeutic Updates
Sjögren’s Disease – What Are You Missing?
Sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
What could you be missing in Sjögren's disease? Explore hypothetical patient cases with atypical presentations, systemic manifestations, and overlooked symptoms. Gain expert insights and practical tips for clinical assessment from Dr Shereen Mahmood and learn how the ESSDAI can help you measure disease activity.
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A JAKi in GCA: Phase 3 Results Through 2 Years
Sponsored by AbbVie Medical Affairs + Health Impact
Listen as rheumatologists Dr. Anisha Dua and Dr. Ben Boone discuss the latest efficacy and safety results over 2 years from a Phase 3 trial in GCA, including remission, flares, and glucocorticoid use in patients continuing vs withdrawing a JAKi"
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Poster Hall
