News

The European Commission has approved Tavneos (avacopan) as an add-on therapy for adults with severe granulomatosis polyangiitis (GPA) or microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) — the two main types of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). Following the expected launch this year, Tavneos will be the first available oral therapy for…

An appropriate immune response to COVID-19 vaccines among people with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with rituximab seems to be dependent on the number of B-cells, a study found. The study, “B cell numbers predict humoral and cellular response upon SARS-CoV-2 vaccination among patients…

Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), an immunosuppressant, may sustain remission more efficiently than other therapies in ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) patients who have kidney symptoms, a review of clinical trials found. The findings showed that, in clinical trials enrolling only patients with kidney involvement, more than 90% were estimated to maintain…

ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) may be a rare complication of exposure to COVID-19 proteins, either through infection or vaccination, a report covering two women suggests. Both were diagnosed early and improved with supportive care and immunosuppressive therapy, the researchers noted. “This adverse event appears to be a very rare complication…

People with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) who carry antibodies against the proteinase 3 (PR3) protein have more frequent relapses and a shorter time to relapse or death than patients without such antibodies, a South Korean study shows. These findings highlight the need to look for the presence of…

Kidney inflammation associated with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) was recently reported in a man following his second dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. While cases of AAV have been described after COVID-19 infection and vaccination, this is only the third case of AAV-related kidney inflammation, with antibodies against the proteinase…

Poor kidney function and worse overall disease severity at diagnosis can predict kidney failure in adults with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), according to a small single-center study in Turkey. In addition, AAV patients with either hypocomplementemia — low levels of complement proteins in the blood — or a five-factor score…

Treatment with the CD20 inhibitor rituximab is significantly associated with poor antibody responses to COVID-19 vaccines among people with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), a study found. However, the number of antibody-producing B-cells, the rituximab dose, and the timing between last rituximab administration and vaccination were all important factors determining how…

Winding up its 35th year, the U.S.-based Vasculitis Foundation (VF) is making its annual call for support for its programs and initiatives, which aim to help existing and future vasculitis patients. Key among them is to train more clinicians for treating ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). Calling itself the world’s…

Immunoadsorption, a procedure that removes specific antibodies from the blood, may speed remission in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) and serious kidney disease and help more patients attain this outcome, a small study found. The treatment approach also lowered mortality and reduced the risk of kidney failure or death…