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Arrhythmias in Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease

Jack Cush, MD

A new review in the Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease (Tamirisa et al) synthesizes how systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic sclerosis have an increased risk of arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death attributable to shared immune pathways.

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Chikungunya Club Meeting (7.24.2026)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com.

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Seronegative RA Disease Activity (7.17.2026)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal articles and Gout features from this past week on RheumNow.com.

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Gout Cavalcade (7.10.2026)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal articles and regulatory decisions from the past week. July is Gout: More than Flares month.

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EULAR26: Reports on Systemic Sclerosis

EurekAlert!

In an oral abstract presentation at EULAR 2026, results were shared from a longitudinal observational analysis of the EUSTAR database. The aim was to characterise organ involvement and disease progression – and time to these events – stratified by having a modified disease activity index (mDAI) score of less than 2.5 at baseline (inactive), versus those with 2.5 or higher (active).

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From BiTE to TriTE: Progress of T-cell Engagers in RMDs

Md Yuzaiful Md Yusof, MRCP(UK), PhD

The EULAR 2026 Congress in London showcased growing interest in T-cell engagers as a novel strategy to achieve deep B-cell depletion and drug-free remission in refractory rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs).

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NK Cells Without a CAR: AB-101 Is Neither CAR-T nor CAR-NK

Henrique Dalmolin, MD

Much of the meeting came for the next CAR T readout. AB-101 drew attention for a different reason. It depletes B cells by a completely different route.

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Improving Understanding in SSc

2026 EULAR Press Release

Systemic sclerosis is a rare connective tissue disorder characterised by autoimmune features with vascular manifestations, causing fibrosis of the skin and internal organs. EULAR is focused on systemic sclerosis as the rheumatic disease with the highest morbidity and mortality. New data presented at the EULAR 2026 Congress underscore key complications, and offer hope for a possible new therapeutic strategy.

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5 years since Patient ID001: Progress on CAR-T Therapy in RMD

Md Yuzaiful Md Yusof, MRCP(UK), PhD

Five years on, are we closer to licensing of the first CAR-T therapy in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMD)?

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Study of 154 anti-Ku Ab+ pts (51 IMMM, 46 SLE, 30 Sjögrens, 27 Sc) = 60 (39%) had ILD - 75% progressed; more rapidly in males. BUT Ku+ is rare <4%, not specific, without clear clinical implications. Ku is a myositis-assoc Ab (like Ro52/Ro60, U1-RNP, PM/Scl) https://t.co/MHz8mdqDqi
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Arrhythmias in Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease A new review in the Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease (Tamirisa et al) synthesizes how SLE, RA, and SSc have an increased risk of arrhythmias and SCD attributable to shared immune pathways. These facts substantiate the https://t.co/j9AW26LE66
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
EUSTAR scleroderma substudy propensity matched pts Rx w/ JAKi (n 38) vs 180 pts ea Rx w/ MMF, MTX, RTX. 1/3 had dcSSc. 23 AEs in 997 Pt-yrs. JAKi outcomes similar to comparators. JAKi Tx D/C in 39%, FVC stable, skin fibrosis improved (mRSS −1.8) & SJC decreased. No new

Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

EULAR26: Reports on Systemic Sclerosis https://t.co/knZZlMYlen https://t.co/0wul0yaw4m

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Day 2 Report from EULAR 2026 Day two at EULAR 2026 was jammed with sessions on advances in immune checkpoint inhhbitors (and irAEs), Lupus, Scleroderma, RA and IgG4 related disease. Here are a few of my favorites from Day 2 https://t.co/6KwtkMNLAf https://t.co/Toh4HNZFN5

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Abstr LB0003 Off-the-shelf allogeneic NK cell therapy + rituximab in refractory RA, Sjögren disease, and systemic sclerosis. 31 patients. Outpatient administered. RA at 6 months: 71% ACR50, mean CDAI change −36.8. SSc: 100% rCRISS25 response. SjD: 86% ClinESSDAI responders. https://t.co/60046jgYia

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Antoni Chan MD (Prof) synovialjoints ( View Tweet)
Interesting data on the effect of AB-101 + RTX on refractory RA, SSc and SjD. Curious about long term results and potential position in tx strategies LB0006 @RheumNow #EULAR2026 https://t.co/opbh8yGmwO

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sheila RHEUMarampa ( View Tweet)
CAR-T without the CAR-T risks? AB-101, an off-the-shelf NK cell therapy + RTX, delivered in refractory RA, Sjögren, and SSc (n=31): RA ACR50 71%, SSc mRSS -9.5, SjD ClinESS DAI -8.6 at 6 mo. Outpatient delivery without CAR-T associated AEs? @RheumNow #EULAR2026 LB0003 https://t.co/xi6ZdLwHcN

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Jiha Lee JihaRheum ( View Tweet)
#CAR_T cell therapy in #SSc Promising results from the Breakfree-1 study (Zola-cel) on safety and preliminary efficacy on pFVC in 26 patients More data is needed #HOT session Pr Oliver Distler #EULAR2026 @RheumNow https://t.co/ZS1LnBLMu5

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Nelly ZIADE 🍀 Nellziade ( View Tweet)
Looking forward to CAR T cell therapy trials in #SSc Phase 2 and 3 studies presented at #HOT session by Pr Oliver Distler #CAR_T #EULAR2026 @RheumNow https://t.co/bmXZpF2wKg

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Nelly ZIADE 🍀 Nellziade ( View Tweet)
Many drugs in the pipeline for #Systemic_Sclerosis In particular, stay tuned for: 🔺Nerandomilast (PDE4i) in ILD 🔺CAR T cells (obviously): big RCT trials planned 🔺Bispecific T cell engagers: Teclistamab #HOT session Pr Oliver Distler #EULAR2026 @RheumNow https://t.co/I7HQtfwuW0

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Nelly ZIADE 🍀 Nellziade ( View Tweet)
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