Novel Rx

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.

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.

CAR T cell therapy took the centre stage in 2022 where data pertaining to a successful case series of 5 patients with refractory SLE were published by Prof Schett’s group. Since then, this area of therapeutic has expanded exponentially. Our growing enthusiasm was slightly dampened though when the FDA required all six approved CAR T-cell therapies in oncology to include a black box warning regarding the risk of second primary malignancies in

Following the landmark case series by the Erlangen group, multiple cellular therapies have entered the race—each with unique targets, constructs, and mechanisms. Yet, a fundamental question remains: How deep is the B-cell depletion? In clinical practice, peripheral blood counts often serve as our surrogate for depletion. But these may only tell part of the story.

Prof. Sandra Navarra and colleagues compared the efficacy and safety of tacrolimus and glucocorticoids vs. mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) as a continuous induction-maintenance treatment for class III/IV+V lupus nephritis.

Drs. Jack Cush & Arthur Kavanaugh, two of rheumatology’s most trusted voices, provide a breakdown of the latest breakthroughs and hottest topics in rheumatology from the 2025 ACR Convergence meeting in Chicago.

Here's the last installment of our "ACR Best" abstracts as chosen by the RheumNow faculty.  Most of these were from the final, day 4, but a few were noteworthy holdovers from day 3. Enjoy!

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 psoriatic disease (PsD) studies.

After several failures of therapies in Phase 3 trials of Sjogren’s disease (SjD) over many years, all hope is not lost! At this year’s ACR25 Convergence Conference in Chicago, not one but two drugs presented their efficacy and safety data in patients with moderate to severe disease activity as defined by ESSDAI score ≥ 5 points.

At ACR Convergence 2025, abstract 1039 entitled, “Global Cost-Effectiveness and Equity in CAR-T Cell Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis” adds a critical dimension to the growing enthusiasm around cellular therapies in autoimmune disease.

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a complex inflammatory disease often complicated by obesity, which not only worsens disease activity but also impairs treatment response. At ACR Convergence 2025, three compelling studies spanning pharmacologic, lifestyle, and longitudinal observational data converged on a central theme: weight loss is a powerful modulator of PsA outcomes, regardless of the intervention used.

IgG4 is a rare autoimmune disease with excessive IgG4 immunoglobulins that can affect multiple organs yielding plasma cell deposition (inflammation) and fibrosis.There has been great progress in treatment. Traditionally, glucocorticoids were used and if ineffective, then an oral immunesuppressive (ex: Azathioprine, MMF) and, if needed, rituximab. Many patients can improve sufficiently on this regimen.

CAR T-cells have been a revolutionary development in rheumatology. We have seen a population of patients with severe refractory autoimmune conditions almost overnight presented with the prospect of not just improvement, but of a cure.

A growing arsenal of therapeutic targets in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) has enhanced the landscape of treatment in patients with this disease.

ACR 2025 began today in Chicago with throngs of rheumatologists, fellows, ARP members, APPs and pharma folk taking to the meeting halls and rooms for tons of novel content.