Novel Rx

FDA has granted Fast Track designation to EG-501 (Evergreen), investigational Rx for cognitive impairment with neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE), following positive results from the phase 2 ClearMEMory study https://t.co/n9wO2wLLBk https://t.co/E0kL3j931Z

FDA Grants Fast Track Status to EG-501 in Neuropsychiatric Lupus | NeurologyLiv…

Article

Double Trouble (10.23.2026)

Jack Cush, MD Oct 23, 2026

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the journal articles and regulatory announcements from this past week on RheumNow, including: two crystals in one joint, twice the cryptococcus risk in JAKs; Myositis and Scleroderma; and Sjögren’s plus early damage = >> 2 fold risk lymphoma. Double trouble week

RheumNow Live 2027 registration is NOW OPEN. GLP-1s in your clinic. CAR-T in lupus. Rheumatology experts vs. AI, with your vote. Jan. 30–31 | Onsite + virtual Early Bird Pricing through 12/15/2026. See the agenda. Register: https://t.co/zYYC2350tE https://t.co/QeSxDPlIpv

RheumNow

The FDA is reviewing Sun Pharma’s tildrakizumab (Ilumya), an IL-23 inhibitor, for use in active psoriatic arthritis, with an October 29, 2026 action (PDUFA) date. Decisons to be based on PsA INSPIRE-1 and INSPIRE-2 Phase 3 Studies https://t.co/iDWhub0k91 https://t.co/j8wQLxNCdA

Sun Pharma Announces US FDA Acceptance of Supplemental Biologics License (sBLA)…

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van Vollenhoven’s Treatment Advances in Lupus

Jack Cush, MD Oct 22, 2026

Professor van Vollenhoven has compiled a state-of-the-art review on lupus treatment advances – current and future. SLE management is entering an unprecedented phase.

Article

EBR Journal Club: Secukinumab in Polymyalgia Rheumatica (REPLENISH)

Michael Putman, MD, MSCI Oct 22, 2026

This edition: REPLENISH (secukinumab in polymyalgia rheumatica). The EBR Journal Club Companion applies my adapted version of the JAMA approach to critical appraisal to an important RCT in rheumatology. Each review covers four domains: Does this apply to my patients? What is the risk of bias?

FDA has approved NDA for Evoxac, granting Cosette right to sell oral, liquid Evoxac as an alternative treatment option for managing dry mouth symptoms in Sjögren’s patients. NA until end of 2026. https://t.co/jTySNljXMv https://t.co/PCnfAmIB2W

Cosette lands FDA approval for Evoxac liquid in Sjögren’s disease

Article

Treat-to-Target has Excellent 10-Year Outcomes in RA

MedPage Today Oct 21, 2026

Most patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) whose initial treatment used a stringent treat-to-target strategy in a clinical trial were in remission 10 years later, with only modest radiographic progression over that time, researchers said.

FDA Grants Fast Track Status to EG-501 in Neuropsychiatric Lupus | NeurologyLiv…

Article

Joint Disease in SLE Reconsidered

Jack Cush, MD Oct 19, 2026

A new Frontiers in Immunology review from Ong, Wincup and colleagues, shows that lupus arthropathy is not a single uniform entity and it is biologically under-studied and clinically mismeasured, Moreover, the biology of lupus arthritis may shed light on choosing the best therapy for MSK

Yale researchers propose repurposing the epilepsy drug, lacosamide, to treat osteoarthritis. In animal models, delivered as a hydrogel conjugate IA, improved cartilage repair, slowed deterioration, & reduced pain. Chosen as it blocks Sodium channels, esp Nav1.7 involved in pain https://t.co/ERJ2xPEyzl

Article

Troubles with ‘Gut Feelings’ (10.16.2026)

Jack Cush, MD Oct 16, 2026

Dr. Jack Cush reviews this week's news from RheumNow.com, including: placebo trumps controversial therapies, the dynamics of disease activity, fuse the big toe, and patients don’t appreciate being told “it's all in your head”!

Washington Univ Medical School has recv $17 million from Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health to develop an intraarticular therapy using nanoparticles designed to regenerate osteoarthritis damage without any surgical intervention. https://t.co/hl5i3welwS https://t.co/M7LwbIYI88

Osteoarthritis therapy study advances with $17 million from ARPA-H

Prescribing New GLP-1-Based Therapies https://t.co/naNfd7B1zA https://t.co/WIi9ZIMH2l

Prescribing New GLP-1-Based Therapies | RheumNow

Are Concerns Over Avacopan Efficacy Overblown? Avacopan (Tavneos), the complement pathway inhibitor for antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV), appeared strongly effective in an Italian registry study, maybe a step toward putting questions about https://t.co/4w2INKPFeT

EADV abstract showed daxdilimab (anti-ILT7; on plasmacytoid dendritic cells) was effective in mod-severe discoid lupus. Ph II RCT 72 refract. DLE RCT; DAX vs PBO - ↓ CLASI-A vs placebo @24 wks. wk 4 ≥50% CLASI-A ~62% vs 24% https://t.co/gJ4drxErGD https://t.co/TexG55dDBL

In Phase 2 Trial, Daxdilimab Reduces Disease Activity in Moderate-to-Severe Dis…

Don't Hold the Biologic or JAK with COVID-19 Vaccination A randomized clinical trial in inflammatory arthritis arthritis shows that temporarily holding biologic or Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor therapy at the time of COVID-19 vaccination is not warranted. https://t.co/O9iJHEfp42

Article

Treatment Landscape for Dermatomyositis Is Evolving

MedPage Today Oct 12, 2026

After years of inactivity, therapeutic development for dermatomyositis has begun to move forward with several new therapies and therapeutic strategies.

"This is a very exciting time for the field because we're finally going to get some new treatments, and I think it will be helpful in

EBR Journal Club: Brepocitinib in Dermatomyositis (VALOR) The EBR Journal Club Companion applies my adapted version of the JAMA approach to critical appraisal. Each review covers four domains: Does this apply to my patients? What is the risk of bias? How great are the benefits https://t.co/UoCQM4GtwL

T-cell engager blinatumomab (CD3xCD19 TCE) was used for Deep B-cell depletion in 15 resistant RA pts (MDR-RA). @wk 12 9/15 CDAI LDA, 3/15 CDAI remission. Synovial B cells were depleted (4 of 5 biopsies) but not in lymph nodes. Later, 14/15 flared. No ICANs, 3/15 w/ CRS (gr 1) https://t.co/xLGZjkMmit

Steroids are easy to start and hard to stop. Hold the MTX, but not the biologic or JAK. And what’s the latest on avacopan? This week, Dr. Jack Cush reviews the rheumatology news you don’t want to miss: from new approvals and promising trial results to sobering Sjögren’s data, https://t.co/UC4RdHMaFS

FDA has approved rembrutinib (Rhapsido - BTK inhibitor from Novartis)as 1st Rx for adults with dermographism not controlled by H1 antihistamines (expanding its use beyond chronic spontaneous urticaria) https://t.co/wytr6veoZJ https://t.co/czFmLHFuL3

Novartis Rhapsido® (remibrutinib) receives FDA approval as first treatment for …

Article

Don’t Hold the JAK (10.9.2026)

Jack Cush, MD Oct 09, 2026

On this week's podcast, Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news: Steroids are easy to start and hard to stop; hold the MTX but not the biologic or JAK, weighing in on avacopan, and age-old messages for old-age patients.

Agenx announced it will discontinue its phase 3 UNITY study -efgartigimod SC in adults with mod-to-severe Sjögren's dz, based on not meeting its primary endpoint (clinESSDAIwk 48) & rec from DSMB. ""Sjögren's Disease is one of the most heterogeneous and complicated diseases in https://t.co/fmuzxvaCGx

POETYK PsA-1 - Efficacy and Safety of Deucravacitinib in Psoriatic Arthritis van der Heijde et al have published the results of the phase 3 POETYK PsA-1 trial demonstrating that deucravacitinib was superior to placebo in clinical responses, patient-reported outcomes, and https://t.co/ovASDqLeWK

Therapeutic Updates

Fundamentals of CAR T Cell Therapy and Its Investigational Use in Autoimmune Diseases

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Treatment for Obesity and Inflammation, but at what Cost?
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Jonathan Kay, MD

Sep 29, 2026

The costs of GLP-1 agonists must come down in order to make these treatments available to the people who need them - including many people with rheumatologic diseases.

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