News

Nucala benefits EGPA, but response varies by organ involvement

Long-term treatment with Nucala (mepolizumab) is safe and effective in people with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), the rarest type of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), according to a meta-analysis of eight studies. After nearly two years of treatment, more than half of EGPA patients achieved remission, meaning they had…

Blood biomarkers of inflammation may aid AAV assessment: Study

Ratios of different kinds of blood cells, reflecting inflammation and immune activity, may be a cheap and efficient tool to aid in the diagnosis of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), and in predicting disease activity, a new study from China reports. “While not standalone diagnostic tools, these markers offer valuable support…

Immune complement activation common in AAV disease remission

Some people with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) have elevated biomarkers suggesting activation of the immune system’s complement cascade, which is known to contribute to AAV, even when they’re in disease remission, a study showed. While these biomarkers did not appear to be associated with an increased risk of future disease…

New deal aims to develop, market povetacicept for AAV in Asia

Vertex Pharmaceuticals has signed a license agreement with Ono Pharmaceutical to develop and market povetacicept — a B-cell-targeting candidate for treating ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) and other autoimmune diseases driven by self-reactive antibodies and marked by signs or symptoms of kidney involvement — in Japan and South Korea.

New AAV treament guidelines in UK recommend rituximab use

Updated treatment guidelines from the British Society for Rheumatology favor rituximab over cyclophosphamide for active, relapsing ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), and set a standard maintenance treatment period of about 2-4 years after the disease has entered remission, or is determined to be well controlled. These recommendations are part of…

Fasenra keeps EGPA in remission for up to two years: Trial data

Up to two years of treatment with AstraZeneca’s Fasenra (benralizumab) helped adults with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) that’s difficult to treat achieve and maintain disease remission, while reducing or eliminating the need for oral corticosteroids. That’s according to combined data from the completed head-to-head portion and the…

AAV therapy Tavneos effective in patients with kidney involvement

ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) therapy Tavneos (avacopan) is at least as effective as the glucocorticoid prednisone at inducing disease remission, reducing relapse rates, and improving kidney function and quality of life in patients with kidney involvement at treatment start. That’s according to new subgroup analyses from the Phase…