Rheumatology Month in Review: February 2025

This rheumatology month in review highlights new research across rheumatological diseases, including psoriatic arthritis (PsA), gout, and fibromyalgia.

Novel Therapies Show Promise for Lupus

REGENCY: Obinutuzumab Proves Efficacy in Lupus Nephritis
Use of obinutuzumab (Gazya/Gazyvaro) was superior to standard of care therapy alone for achieving a complete renal response in patients with active lupus nephritis, according to results from the phase 3 REGENCY trial.

“The positive REGENCY study results confirmed the findings of an earlier trial that administration of obinutuzumab, a therapy which targets B cells, benefitted patients with lupus nephritis more than standard treatment alone,” said Richard Furie, MD, the Marilyn and Barry Rubenstein Chair in Rheumatology and Chief of the Division of Rheumatology at Northwell Health.

FDA Fast Tracks CAR-T Therapy for Lupus
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Fast Track Designation to Adicet Bio’s ADI-001 for the potential treatment of adult patients with refractory systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with extrarenal involvement.

ADI-001 targets CD20 for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and is being advanced across 6 autoimmune indications. In the phase 1 GLEAN trial, ADI-001 was shown to target B-cells via an anti-CD20 CAR and demonstrated robust exposure and complete CD19+ B-cell depletion both in peripheral blood and secondary lymphoid tissue.

Improving Gout Diagnosis

Machine Learning Model May Help to Diagnose Gout

Researchers have developed an interpretable machine learning (ML) model for predicting gout, establishing a foundation for future applications in supporting gout diagnosis.

“This study developed an interpretable ML model for gout prediction and utilized SHAP to elucidate feature contributions, establishing a foundation for future applications in clinical decision support for gout diagnosis,” lead investigator Lishan Xiao, Department of Ultrasound, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China, and colleagues.

DECT Scans Unable to Detect Gout Nephropathy

New research has found that dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) is unable to detect genuine MSU crystal deposits in kidneys and renal artery walls but can characterize chronic asymptomatic urolithiasis.

“This study shows that despite promising abilities, DECT was not able to detect evidence of gout nephropathy, even in patients with extensive MSU crystal deposition around the joints which were expected to be at risk of also presenting deposits in the renal tissue. Caution is warranted when DECT identifies MSU-coded plaques in renal arteries, unrelated to the general MSU crystal burden, which are most probably miscoded due to calcified plaques," Tristan Pascart, MD, PhD, professorDepartment of Rheumatology, Lille Catholic University, Saint-Philibert Hospital, ETHICS laboratory, Lille, EA, France, and colleagues wrote.

Research Identifies New Fibromyalgia Associations

Copper and Iron Associated With Fibromyalgia Risk

Copper (Cu) and iron (Fe) are associated with fibromyalgia (FM) risk according to new research with trace elements, warranting further study.

“Our findings provide new insights for future research, particularly in exploring how Cu and Fe influence the onset and progression of FM. Future studies need to delve into the molecular level to reveal how these trace elements influence the pathological processes of FM through specific molecular pathways and signaling routes. This includes detailed studies on the impact of inflammatory mediators, oxidative stress markers, and neurotransmitter systems,” lead investigator Wenxing Zeng, First Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, and First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China, and colleagues wrote.

Perceived Stressed Associated With Symptom Burden in People With Fibromyalgia

Perceived stress was positively correlated with symptom burden in people with fibromyalgia syndrome even when not correlated with endocrinological stress indicators, according to new research.

"This [research] underscores the need for nuanced clinical approaches that target perceived stress in individuals with FMS to improve symptom management and to reveal the complex relationship between stress perception and physiological stress responses,” lead investigator Eva Beiner, PhD, Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany, and colleagues wrote.

Rosnilimab Shows Historic Efficacy for RA

Rosnilimab Demonstrates Historic Responses for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rosnilimab has demonstrated historic American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and clinical disease activity index (CDAI) low disease activity (LDA) responses in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in new findings from a phase 2b trial.

“Rosnilimab’s efficacy data paired with a favorable safety and tolerability profile present a promising new option for people living with RA," Paul Emery, MD, Versus Arthritis professor of rheumatology at the University of Leeds and Leeds Biomedical Research Centre, UK, said.