Patricia Inacio, PhD,  science writer—

InflaRx will soon launch a Phase 2 clinical trial in Europe to assess the safety and effectiveness of IFX-1 — an investigational inhibitor of the complement system — in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). Now that European authorities have approved it, the randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2 trial is expected to recruit approximately…

Elevated levels of the CD64 protein on the surface of neutrophils – a type of immune cell – accurately distinguishes bacterial infection from disease flares in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a study has found. The study, “Utility of neutrophil…

The occurrence of a severe infection during the first month of care is a strong predictor of one-year mortality among patients 65 and older with ANCA-associated renal vasculitis — a form of kidney inflammation caused by ANCA antibodies — a retrospective study reports. The study, “Early predictors of one-year…

Standard therapies used to ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), like cyclophosphamide or Rituxan (rituximab), appear to be of benefit in patients who are pregnant, a literature review suggests. The study, “Successful treatment outcomes in pregnant patients with ANCA‐associated vasculitides: A systematic review of literature,” was published in the International Journal…

The frequency of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) appears to increase with exposure to carbon monoxide and colder climates, with patients more often diagnosed in winter months, a Chinese study reports. The disease also seems to be more common among people in Northern China and in certain ethnic minorities, like the Dong, Zhuang, and…

The presence of atypical ANCA antibodies in people with underlying eye inflammatory disease is not linked to severe vessel inflammation or worse outcomes, a small study reports. The study, “Atypical Perinuclear Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies in Ocular Inflammatory Diseases,” was published in the journal Ocular Immunology and Inflammation. ANCA-associated…

A case report of a patient with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), with the disease affecting both the heart and lungs, suggests that Rituxan (rituximab) together with corticosteroids might be a successful therapeutic approach. The study, “Eosinophilic Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis and Cardiac Involvement: A Case Report,” appeared in…

Children with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) have specific disease symptoms that differ from those seen in adults with the disease, a French study shows. Pediatricians should be aware of these differences and the various disease symptoms for a correct and timely diagnosis of EGPA in children, researchers said. The…

Patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis whose autoantibodies are against the myeloperoxidase protein (MPO) have increased disease activity at diagnosis but milder kidney manifestations than other vasculitis patients. Based on findings from a retrospective analysis, a research team in China proposes that these patients should be considered a unique subtype of…

Patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis using an immunosuppressive therapy may be at risk of late-onset pneumonia caused by opportunistic Pneumocystis jirovecii infection, a new study suggests. The study, “Late-onset Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis,” was published in the journal Clinical Rheumatology. ANCA-associated vasculitis, or AAV, is characterized…