The race is on for the first chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-based therapy to be approved for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus. Its main principle is to induce deep B-cell depletion, with the hope to reset the B-cell aberrant immunity for a sustained clinical remission. At EULAR 2025 in Barcelona, several advances of CAR-based therapies will be presented.

BMJ has published a clinical practice guideline resulting from the work of an international, multidisciplinary panel addressing chronic spine pain (≥3 months duration) not associated with cancer or inflammatory arthropathy. This is a chronic (not acute) spine pain guideline.

A current review article suggests that the need for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) prophylaxis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and lupus nephritis will need to be individualized based on therapies and risk factors.

Connective tissue diseases (CTDs) and interstitial lung disease (ILD) represent a challenging intersection of systemic autoimmunity and progressive respiratory impairment. Research presented at EULAR 2025 continues to highlight the importance of CTD-ILD and the evolving landscape of therapeutic options for patients with autoimmune ILDs.

The American College of Physicians published a best practice advisory on cannabis or cannabinoids in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

A retrospective US administrative claims cohort study of RA patients on tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFis), non-TNFi biologics, or Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKis) found a statistically significantly higher risk of incident cancer in patients receiving rituximab, abatacept, or JAKis (compared with TNFis).

The American Gastroenterology Association has published its revised clinical practice guidelines for the prevention and treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in at-risk patients, particularly those with immune-mediated disease, receiving immunomodulatory therapy and steroids.