AAV Patients More Likely to Develop Thyroid Disease, Korean Study Finds

ANCA-associated vasculitis patients in Korea have a high prevalence of thyroid dysfunction, with the condition affecting mainly those who are older, have ANCA antibodies, or renal involvement at diagnosis, a study has found. The study, “Thyroid Dysfunction in Patients with Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody−associated Vasculitis: A Monocentric Retrospective Study,”…

Treatment using plasma exchange can help ANCA-associated vasculitis patients with severe renal damage become independent of dialysis in just a few weeks, according to a study. The study, “Plasma exchange is highly effective for ANCA-associated vasculitis patients with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis who have advanced to dialysis…

The Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (BVAS) and the Five Factors Score (FFS) are both useful tools for predicting the prognosis of ANCA-associated vasculitis, and for selecting the best first-line therapy, a study says. Researchers recommended using both for best patient care. The study, “Comparison of…

A combination of Rituxan (rituximab) and Soliris (eculizumab) may be used to replace glucocorticoids for the treatment of patients with severe ANCA-associated vasculitis, a case report suggests. The report, “Glucocorticoid-free induction regimen in severe ANCA-associated vasculitis using a combination of rituximab and…

The presence of blood in the urine is associated with a four times higher risk of kidney disease relapse within 44 months after achieving remission in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis, a study has found. The study, “Prognostic Value of Microscopic Hematuria after Induction of Remission in Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic…

RaDaR, the catchy new name for the U.S. government-run Rare Diseases Registry Program, aims to help patient advocacy groups with limited resources build their own disease registries. The site was developed by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), a division of the National Institutes of…

Levels of Gremlin — a protein that is overexpressed during kidney damage — in the urine may serve as a specific biomarker for ANCA-associated renal vasculitis, a study shows. The study, “Gremlin, A Potential Urinary Biomarker of Anca-Associated Crescentic Glomerulonephritis,” was published in the journal Scientific Reports.

The first patient has been dosed in InflaRx‘s ongoing European Phase 2 clinical trial testing the safety and efficacy of its IFX-1 investigational therapy for the treatment of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), the company announced. IFX-1, the company’s lead drug candidate, is a first-in-class antibody designed…

With 250 rare diseases newly identified every year, scientists can barely keep up — even as the healthcare system fails millions of Americans whose rare diseases have already been diagnosed. That’s the warning from Christopher P. Austin, MD, director of the National Center for Advancing Translational Studies (NCATS) at…

ChemoCentryx remains on track to report topline results later this year from its ongoing Phase 3 clinical trial assessing the safety and efficacy of oral avacopan (CCX168) in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), the company announced. Avacopan is an investigational inhibitor of the complement C5a receptor,…