Steve Bryson, PhD, science writer —

Amgen is the new owner of Tavneos (avacopan), an approved ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) therapy, following its successful $3.7 billion cash acquisition of ChemoCentryx. “ChemoCentryx enhances Amgen’s leading inflammation and nephrology portfolio and includes Tavneos (avacopan), a first-in-class treatment for severe active anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody-associated vasculitis (ANCA-associated vasculitis), an…

Immune macrophages or cells that carry the proteins CD163 and/or CD206 play a key role in kidney inflammation in people with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), a study reported. Researchers found that these distinct macrophages contribute to the inflammatory process in different ways. Moreover, the team determined that both CD163 and…

Tavneos (avacopan) has been approved as an add-on therapy for adults in Switzerland with severe, active microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) or granulomatosis polyangiitis (GPA), the two main types of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). Following the decision by the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products, Swissmedic, the launch of Tavneos is expected…

People with ANCA vasculitis (AAV) in long-term remission have increased arterial stiffness, a sign of cardiovascular disease, a study reports. The mechanisms underlying acute cardiovascular disease risk in AAV were associated with endothelin-1, a molecule that promotes blood vessel narrowing. In the placebo-controlled study, blocking endothelin-1 receptors was found…

Elevated levels of certain pro-inflammatory proteins were found in the bloodstream and urine of people with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), and correlated with disease severity, a study shows. Findings suggest that two of these proteins — S100A8/A9 and S100A12 — from the S100 family of proteins, play a role in…

Symptoms affecting the eyes and ears are significantly more common in adults with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) who developed hypertrophic pachymeningitis (HP), a rare condition marked by brain inflammation, a study from Japan reported. Notably, sudden vision or hearing loss was found in AAV patients with HP, suggesting that eye…

Tavneos (avacopan) will soon be available as an add-on treatment for adults in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland with severe, active granulomatosis polyangiitis (GPA) or microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), the two main types of ANCA vasculitis (AAV), following a decision by regulatory authorities. The National Institute for Health and…

Similar to neutrophils, immune monocyte cells play an essential role in kidney damage caused by ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), a study discovered. The pro-inflammatory function of monocytes was stimulated by the immune signaling protein CSF2, also called GM-CSF. Therapeutically targeting monocytes or CSF2 may be a potential new treatment strategy…

A subtype of antibody-producing B-cells was significantly higher in the bloodstream of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) patients with active kidney involvement compared with those who were in remission and healthy individuals. These findings may help monitor disease progression, as well as provide insights into AAV development, the researchers noted. The…

Significantly high levels of the inflammatory protein pentraxin-3 (PTX3) were found in the bloodstream and urine of people with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), particularly those with kidney involvement, a study revealed. Unlike C-reactive protein (CRP), a widely used inflammatory biomarker, PTX3 correlated with standard measures of AAV disease activity before…