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Treating During Pregnancy (11.14.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the journal articles, news and guidelines from this past week on RheumNow.com
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IL-1 Inhibition in CPPD
Controlled clinical trials in patients with calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition Disease (CPPD) are scant. Now a metanalysis provides evidence that anakinra, an interleukin-1 inhibitor, is a promising alternative for patients with acute CPPD flares.
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DAHLIAS study - Nipocalimab in Sjögren's Disease
Nipocalimab, 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.
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Ianalumab Shows Phase 3 Success in Sjögren’s: Is It Clinically Meaningful?
On the final day of ACR25, late-breaking abstract #24 drew particular attention, presenting results from the first positive Phase 3 trials of a potential systemic treatment for a disease that has long lacked one.
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Deucravacitinib and Renal Function: Insights from the PAISLEY Trial
In the phase 2 PAISLEY trial, deucravacitinib met its primary and secondary endpoints, demonstrating efficacy across multiple clinical and patient-reported outcomes. However, the impact on renal function has remained unclear. An abstract presented at ACR provides new insights.
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Review of neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) blockers, being developed by J&J, argenx & UCB, showing utility in autoimmune dz as they reduce autoantibodies. FcRn inhibitor market may be worth USD 3.3 billion by 2035. Approved for myasthenia gravis & being developed in Sjögren’s, SLE, https://t.co/mBUla87dK5
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/fYXULrMD16
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/tGwUrLMZEI
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Tocilizumab Beats Methotrexate in GCA
Dr. Mike Putman reports on abstract 0891 (MEthotrexate versus TOcilizumab for treatment of Giant cell Arteritis (METOGiA trial): a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial), presented at the #ACR25.
https://t.co/IeCWZGupqR https://t.co/SCF1guorMs
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Taking a closer look: B-Cell depletion beyond the blood
At #ACR25, we have seen an exciting wave of cellular and immune therapies reshaping the landscape of autoimmune disease treatment. Following the landmark case series by the Erlangen group, multiple cellular therapies have https://t.co/GIrPwlGKE2
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
IL-1 Inhibition in CPPD
Controlled clinical trials in patients with calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition Disease (CPPD) are scant. Now a metanalysis provides evidence that anakinra, an interleukin-1 inhibitor, is a promising alternative for patients with acute CPPD flares. https://t.co/7RkE2i6sYY
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
DAHLIAS study - Nipocalimab in Sjögren's Disease
Nipocalimab, 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.
https://t.co/tpoh8YF0F1 https://t.co/jFB1RKOqDV
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Biologic use in 5008 IBD pts finds higher serious infxn (SIE) rates (vs, RA or PsO). In UC the SIE rate was 5.5/100PY w/ vedolizumab & 7/100PY w/ other biologics. In Crohns the SIE rate was 7.9/100PY w/ vedolizumab vs 6.5/100PY w/ other biologics (adj HR 1.15; 0.95–1.40) (P .16) https://t.co/R7YC220NnO
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
New Approaches to Therapy in PsA
Dr. Arthur Kavanaugh offers an overview of new approaches to therapy in psoriatic arthritis, at #ACR25.
https://t.co/9vHgQ6S2JD https://t.co/5mvX1rOrIP
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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
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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)
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)
B Cell Depletion: Check the Lymph Node
Dr. Akhil Sood reports on abstract 2695 (B-cell depletion and lymphoid follicle disruption upon different B-cell depleting agents) presented at #ACR25.
https://t.co/bvZMGWNzfe https://t.co/dB6iQlgoYx
Links:
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 interleukin-23 receptor (IL-23R), is showing encouraging efficacy and safety across a range of psoriasis (PSO) and https://t.co/7awBk16ZrQ
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
IgG4: Rare, but new treatments on the horizon
IgG4 is a rare autoimmune disease with excessive IgG4 immunoglobulins that can affect multiple organs yielding plasma cell deposition (inflammation) and fibrosis.
https://t.co/v07Kp5tQXg https://t.co/rIvOF0mrM1
Links:
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
