Follow the Money (4.23.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush follows the money and all the news that fits the Rheumatology Gab for this past week.
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Simulation cost-effectiveness/QOL study compared Rx of psoriasis w/ biologics, phototherapy, or step-therapy Rx. Biologics had best QOL gains; step-therapy Rx similar w/ less variability & lower costs; phototherapy was cost-effective for payors. Pts had highest willingness to pay https://t.co/RyNooKhgQh
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Couldn’t attend https://t.co/4UQlqwujiR 2026?
You can now watch the entire meeting On Demand.
This high-impact program features leading experts discussing:
• RA outcomes and pathogenesis
• Obesity, inflammation, and rheumatic disease
• Treatment decisions in Psoriatic https://t.co/A3wb3pzbl3
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Malignancies Not Increased with Biologic Therapies
The risk of malignancy in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients receiving biologic agents was evaluated by metanalysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and found no significant increased risk of malignancy compared with other disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) or with placebo
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What’s New PsA? (4.3.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and major articles from this week, including FDA safety warnings, reports from AAD, PsA trials.
https://t.co/Ew1wAFDfa1 https://t.co/AJfqqEAdik
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
What’s New PsA? (4.3.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and major articles from this week, including FDA safety warnings, reports from AAD, PsA trials.
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Ixekizumab With Tirzepatide Efficacy in Obese Psoriatic Arthritis
The TOGETHER-PsA trial has demonstrated the efficacy and safety of ixekizumab (IXE) administered with tirzepatide (TZP) in adult active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients who were overweight or obese. https://t.co/KFwfi9FaAh
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
AFFINITY Study - Combination Biologic Therapy in PsA
A pilot trial assessed the efficacy and safety of the guselkumab+golimumab (COMBO) combination versus GUS monotherapy in active PsA (failing a prior tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi-IR) and showed superiority in ACR 50 https://t.co/f2CB8FnZMB
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Moral Distress (3.27.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the journal reports and news from RheumNow. This week we discuss moral distress, FM in PsA, Lyme Vax is back & hidden but tangible benefits of the MDHAQ.
https://t.co/LdNcsUcHc2 https://t.co/tRYeDhQ3hC
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Ixekizumab With Tirzepatide Efficacy in Obese Psoriatic Arthritis
The TOGETHER-PsA trial has demonstrated the efficacy and safety of ixekizumab (IXE) administered with tirzepatide (TZP) in adult active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients who were overweight or obese.
AXIS is an Intl prospective study of 409 psoriatic arthritis pts - found Axial involvement in 27.4% of pts. Axial PsA signif younger (45 vs 47.6 yrs) , male (56% vs 51.5%), more B27 positivity (22% vs 11%), inflammatory back pain (75% vs 43%), & ^CRP (53% vs 37%) https://t.co/XY5pf4BNNm
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
AFFINITY Study - Combination Biologic Therapy in Psoriatic Arthritis
A pilot trial assessed the efficacy and safety of the guselkumab+golimumab (COMBO) combination versus guselkumab (GUS) monotherapy in active PsA (failing a prior tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi-IR) and showed superiority in ACR 50 responses but not
Long-Term Bimekizumab Safety Data
Adverse effects from bimekizumab through 2 years or more of treatment for psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) were about as expected from shorter-term data, results from long-term extension studies indicated. https://t.co/hp2jVSGk8G
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Real-world safety of tofacitinib vs biologics in 48,167 #PsA pts Rx w/ TOFA (3,166); TNFi (27K); IL-17Ai (20K); risankizumab (4,381); ustekinumab (4,499). Crude IRs/100 PY were 1.78-2.53 for serious infxn, 0.27–0.61 MI/stroke, 0.17–0.42 VTE, & 0.74–1.06 cancer. TOFA had signif https://t.co/dErlkyY9WC
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Systemic Treatments for Chronic Plaque Psoriasis
JAMA Dermatology has published a review of the pharmacologic landscape on managing adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.
https://t.co/fJQDvZDdbs https://t.co/IYAsdujsMf
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Moral Distress (3.27.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the journal reports and news from RheumNow.com. This week we discuss moral distress, FM in PsA, Lyme Vax is back & hidden but tangible benefits of the MDHAQ.
Read Article
Real-world safety of tofacitinib vs biologics in 48,167 #PsA pts Rx w/ TOFA (3,166); TNFi (27K); IL-17Ai (20K); risankizumab (4,381); ustekinumab (4,499). Crude IRs/100 PY were 1.78-2.53 for serious infxn, 0.27–0.61 MI/stroke, 0.17–0.42 VTE, & 0.74–1.06 cancer. TOFA had signif https://t.co/Z5wZTGc5gB
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Systemic Treatments for Chronic Plaque Psoriasis
JAMA Dermatology has published a review of the pharmacologic landscape on managing adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Armstrong et al
Retrospective TriNetX Network cohort study of adult PsA (N 123,031) pts, propensity- matched to non-PsA controls. PsA had signif higher CV morbidity: MACE (HR 1.74); mortality (HR 1.95); CHF (HR 1.96), MI (HR 1.71), & CVA (HR 1.49). bDMARDs reduced MACE (HR 0.95) & mortality (HR https://t.co/bHrq9KpwBM
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Prevalence of fibromyalgia in PsA = 18%. FM-PsA pts have higher scores Dz activity scores from FM, rather than inflammation. Fibromyalgia is assoc w/ worse disease outcomes, including failure to achieve low disease activity state and poorer response to therapy. https://t.co/utQRXPmpDs
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Long-Term Bimekizumab Safety Data
Adverse effects from bimekizumab through 2 years or more of treatment for psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) were about as expected from shorter-term data, results from long-term extension studies indicated. https://t.co/AaJxewNQmQ
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
FDA has approved secukinumab (Cosentyx) for use pediatric patients (aged >12yrs) with moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa https://t.co/oX4LGU16QP
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
FDA has accepted the supplemental biologics license application for use of interleukin-23 inhibitor tildrakizumab (Ilumya; Sun Pharma) in active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in adults. https://t.co/cwqz9DoWsL https://t.co/ut0A4MwqW7
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
FDA Approves Icotrokinra for Plaque Psoriasis
The FDA approved an oral IL-23 inhibitor, icotrokinra (Icotyde), for use in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adults and children 12 years of age and older who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy, according to a https://t.co/q5b3TceFHx
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Long-Term Bimekizumab Safety Data
MedPage Today
Adverse effects from bimekizumab through 2 years or more of treatment for psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) were about as expected from shorter-term data, results from long-term extension studies indicated.
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