Using asthma medication off-label leads to disease remission in EGPA

New B-cell growth is impaired in AAV, study finds

The production of new B-cells, a type of immune cell that helps fight infections but is also involved in the abnormal immune attacks that drive ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), is dysfunctional in people with the autoimmune disease, a study found. The findings could help shed light on the biological underpinnings…

Kidney failure risk factors ID’d in children with AAV kidney disease

While it’s rare in children, ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV)-related glomerulonephritis, that is, an inflammation of the glomeruli, the kidneys’ filtering units, is associated with high rates of kidney failure or death, a study shows. Also, scar tissue accumulating in the glomeruli, other kidney tissue abnormalities, and high protein levels in…

Asthma drug may trigger rare ANCA-associated vasculitis

Treatment with the asthma medication montelukast may trigger eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), the rarest type of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), a case-based review study suggests. The study, “Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis and its association with montelukast: a case-based review,” was published in Clinical Rheumatology. AAV is a…

Melodia buys rights to potential AAV therapy MDI-0151

Melodia Therapeutics has acquired the exclusive rights to develop, manufacture, and commercialize MDI-0151, a candidate therapy for hard-to-treat ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) and other disorders marked by overactivation of neutrophils, a type of immune cell. Melodia said it will “rapidly initiate” investigational new drug (IND)-enabling studies in preparation of a…

IBD diagnosis often comes before AAV, study finds

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) — a chronic disease where the bowel becomes inflamed, causing recurring lower abdominal pain and diarrhea — can overlap with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) and is often diagnosed first, a study found. The finding suggests a possible link between the two diseases, and that having IBD…