Search results for: anakinra

FDA Approves New Rituximab Biosimilar & Anakinra to Treat a Rare Disease

Michele B. Kaufman, PharmD, BCGP | February 2, 2021

The FDA has approved anakinra to treat a rare autoinflammatory disease, deficiency of interleukin 1 receptor antagonist. The administration also approved a new rituximab biosimilar, Riabni, for multiple indications.

Arthritis Drug Anakinra Shows Promise in COVID-19

Megan Brooks | May 12, 2020

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Treatment with the interleukin-1 blocker anakinra appears to improve respiratory symptoms and reduced signs of cytokine storm in nearly three-quarters of patients with acute respiratory distress and cytokine release syndrome from COVID-19 in a small retrospective study from Italy. “Our study is the first to suggest that a high dose of the…

International Approvals for Guselkumab & Anakinra; Plus Adalimumab Biosimilar in Europe

Michele B. Kaufman, PharmD, BCGP | April 30, 2018

In Japan the use of guselkumab to treat erythrodermic, plaque and pustular psoriasis is approved, and anakinra is now indicated for Still’s disease in the E.U…

The vicious cycle of macrophage activation syndrome. Antigen-presenting cells (macrophages and dendritic cells) and lymphocytes (primarily CD8+ T cells) form a cytokine-generating vicious cycle driven by multiple activation pathways (red ar-rows). Under normal conditions, this positive feedback loop is stopped by inhibito-ry pathways (blue), including killing of activated antigen-presenting cells and lym-phocytes, regulatory T cells and elimination of triggers, such as viruses (not shown). In MAS, factors leading to uncontrolled activation of this vicious cycle (gray boxes) include genetic and acquired defects in cell-cell killing, excess stimula-tion (Still’s disease activity, infection, malignancy) and IL-2 theft by highly activated CD8+ T cells expressing the high-affinity IL-2 receptor α chain CD25.

Weathering the Cytokine Storm: Macrophage Activation Syndrome in Adults & Children

Katie Robinson | December 18, 2024

Peter Nigrovic, MD, provides a practical guide to the diagnosis & treatment of macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) in children & adults.

FDA Officials Discuss Extrapolation & Confusion Around Pediatric Therapies

Thomas R. Collins | December 3, 2024

A session at ACR Convergence 2024 addressed several recent drug approvals in pediatric rheumatology and a safety update for IL-1/IL-6 inhibitors.

The Great Pediatric Debate 2024: Cessation or Continuation of Biologics in sJIA Lung Disease?

Ruth Jessen Hickman, MD | November 23, 2024

Washington D.C.—At a Sunday, Nov. 17, Pediatrics Great Debate session of ACR Convergence, speakers argued whether patients with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) should continue their interleukin (IL) 1/IL-6 biologics if lung disease is suspected. Randy Q. Cron, MD, PhD, the director of the Division of Pediatric Rheumatology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham,…

SURF’n Autoinflammation: Evaluation & Management of Syndrome of Undifferentiated Recurrent Fever

Samantha C. Shapiro, MD | November 23, 2024

At this ACR Convergence 2024 session, the focus was on the identification & treatment of a newly identified syndrome of undifferentiated recurrent fever (SURF).

Lubricin/CD44/PP2A Pathway Offers New Therapeutic Targets for Patients with Gout

Ruth Jessen Hickman, MD | November 22, 2024

Dr. Khaled Elsaid discussed synovial macrophages/monocytes and monosodium urate crystal interactions at a session during ACR Convergence, exploring potential new gout pharmacology targets via the lubricin/CD44/protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) pathway.

How to Effectively Diagnose & Treat Macrophage Activation Syndrome

Vanessa Caceres | May 30, 2024

“As a resident, [I] felt pretty terrible when [we had] a very sick child and the teams [couldn’t] agree on what to do,” said Lauren Henderson, MD, MMS, on an episode of ACR on Air. She discussed the importance of collaboration across specialties in the identification and treatment of macrophage activation syndrome (MAS).

Insurance Denial Woes? The ACR Can Help with Appeal Letter Templates

From the College | May 16, 2024

Don’t reinvent the wheel. The ACR Committee on Rheumatologic Care offers members an updated slate of template letters to help appeal insurance denials for common off-label rheumatology treatments.