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Pharma/Regulatory

Review of CAR-T 29 trials in systemic sclerosis (SSc): 27/29 target CD19 (other CD20, BCMA), 20/29 autologous. Only 2 RCTs; 1 w/ RTX comparator. Most included CREST. Schetts largest series had 6 dcSSc w/ skin/lung improvements. Need fewer & larger multicenter RCTs https://t.co/Me28HbaFhR
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

Efgartigimod Efficacy in Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathy

Today Argenx announced the results of their Phase 3 "ALKIVIA" study; demonstrating efficacy and safety of subcutaneous efgartigimod for Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathy (IIM, AKA inflammatory myositis).

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JAMA has updated its guidance for the acceptable use of AI in authoring a Medical Publication. Despite growing AI use, very low rates of disclosure of AI use have been reported. This is about what is permitted & not permitted & what needs to be disclosed. https://t.co/zti0OnvBV0 https://t.co/6VHiEPGxUf
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Updated Guidance for Artificial Intelligence Use in Medical Publications JAMA has updated its guidance for the acceptable use of artificial intelligence (AI) in authoring a medical publication. Despite growing AI use, very low rates of disclosure of AI use have been reported. https://t.co/irid5koIjo
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

ZEUS Trial: IL-6 Inhibition Fails to Cut Cardiovascular Events

The phase 3 ZEUS trial (published in JAMA Dec. 2025)  tested the IL-6 ligand inhibitor ziltivekimab in over 6,000 patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and elevated hsCRP—a population enriched for an inflammatory driver of risk.

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2026 BSR Pain Guideline: What Rheumatologists Need to Know

The British Society for Rheumatology has issued its first guideline dedicated solely to pain in inflammatory arthritis (IA)—covering RA, PsA, axial SpA and JIA.

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Updated Guidance for Artificial Intelligence Use in Medical Publications

JAMA has updated its guidance for the acceptable use of artificial intelligence (AI) in authoring a medical publication. Despite growing AI use, very low rates of disclosure of AI use have been reported. This update provides specific information about what is permitted and not permitted, and

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JAMA has updated its guidance for the acceptable use of AI in authoring a Medical Publication. Despite growing AI use, very low rates of disclosure of AI use have been reported. This is about what is permitted & not permitted & what needs to be disclosed. https://t.co/zti0OnvBV0 https://t.co/Y1C3MfJ27c
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

What's New in Lyme Disease

JAMA has published an overview of new considerations on Lyme disease, focusing on Diagnostics, Vaccines, and Prevention.

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POETYK PsA-1: Deucravacitinib in Biologic-Naïve PsA

POETYK PsA-1 trial tested the disease modifying efficacy of deucravacitinib, a tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) inhibitor, in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients and was shown to be superior vs to placebo for clinical responses, patient-reported outcomes, and structural damage inhibition in PsA.

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New Avacopan Analysis Sent to FDA After data manipulation allegations, the FDA has been calling for the vasculitis drug to be pulled from the market since January. Amgen has submitted a third-party review of avacopan's (Tavneos) pivotal trial data and other analyses to the FDA https://t.co/zBg4pFBfSP
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

Top 20 Best Rheumatology Hospitals

U.S. News & World Report has published its Best Hospitals for 2026-2027, listing the best among many specialties, including rheumatology.  Each year U.S. News Best Hospitals ranked hospitals in the U.S. in 14 adult specialties and for the 9th year in a row, Johns Hopkins Hospital in

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Keep HCQ Blood Levels Up to Avoid Cardiovascular Disease in Lupus

MedPage Today

People taking hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) showed markedly increased risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease when blood levels of the drug were low and when long-term adherence was poor, a prospective study showed.

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New Avacopan Analysis Sent to FDA After data manipulation allegations, the FDA has been calling for the vasculitis drug to be pulled from the market since January. Amgen has submitted a third-party review of avacopan's (Tavneos) pivotal trial data and other analyses to the FDA https://t.co/TdLWRMPvnR
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Social Media (SM) for Health Information by US (sample 7278 adults) - SM use reported by 88% (representing ~ 228 million). ~22% adults made health decisions based on SM, despite almost 78% reporting distrust of SM. Lower SM use in older, rural, less educated. https://t.co/uYYzBvckFu
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

Methotrexate Safety Tips (7.31.2026)

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

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New Avacopan Analysis Sent to FDA

MedPage Today

After data manipulation allegations, the FDA has been calling for the vasculitis drug to be pulled from the market since January.

Amgen has submitted a third-party review of avacopan's (Tavneos) pivotal trial data and other analyses to the FDA in a bid to keep the embattled drug for

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$2 Million in Research Grants for Juvenile Arthritis

July is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month, and while many people think of arthritis as a disease of aging, nearly 300,000 children in the U.S. are living with a rheumatic disease.

Equally important is that 2026 marks a 50 year anniversary for Pediatric

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Genetic Risk Loci in Fibromyalgia

Researchers examined genetic data drawn from 11 different worldwide cohorts, that included from more than 2.5 million adults, of which 55,000 had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. They identified DNA sequence variants in 26 regions of the genome that affect the risk of developing fibromyalgia.

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Uricase-Targeted Therapies in Gout

In most mammals, uricase catalyzes the oxidation of uric acid to allantoin, a highly soluble compound easily excreted by the kidneys. But humans lack functional uricase, leaving xanthine oxidase inhibitors (allopurinol/febuxostat) as first-line urate-lowering therapy (ULT). Uricase-based

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The Wider Implications of Dactylitis

Dactylitis, AKA the "sausage digit", is a hallmark of psoriatic arthritis (PsA), but as Possemato and colleagues point out, it is fundamentally a clinical sign, and not a diagnosis. This review article discusses the wider implications of dactylitis in rheumatology and medicine underscores the

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An AI model trained from routine electronic health record data of 3.7 million individuals predicted cancer 1 year before clinical onset, no less promoted accuracy in detection, staging, treatment response, and prognosis https://t.co/ORrpJ2vIcR https://t.co/ymJWRAYOSw
Eric Topol @EricTopol( View Tweet )
Nerandomilast (Jascayd) has been approved in the European Union for adults with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF). The drug was approved for IPF & PPF by the FDA for US use in late 2025 https://t.co/scOuVb3aYy https://t.co/EcmpRhyWgu
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

Chikungunya Club Meeting (7.24.2026)

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

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The Lancet Rheumatology has a good editorial about the avacopan bad news reports with EMA, FDA and Japan issuing negative opinions that threaten the drugs future. Yet, since approval real world data on avacopan has been favorable w/ less steroid toxicity & most hepatotoxicity https://t.co/k6ebVeWv2K
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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