Advances in rheumatology 2023-2024: toward precision medicine

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Francesco Natalucci, Cecile Van Mullem, Stephanie Dierckx, Clément Triaille, Alexandra Avramovska, Tatiana Sokolova, Farah Tamirou, Frédéric Houssiau, Patrick Durez Published in the journal : February 2025 Category : Rheumatology

Summary :

Recent advances in rheumatology reflect a shift toward early and personalized management of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. In inflammatory rheumatic diseases, the advent of the ever-evolving Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors represents a major breakthrough for 2024. By targeting the JAK-STAT pathway, these oral agents complement the current therapeutic armamentarium with a promising efficacy and tolerability profile. 

In the field of systemic rheumatic diseases, particularly systemic lupus erythematosus, new recommendations encourage the early use of targeted therapies such as belimumab and anifrolumab, complemented by innovative approaches (CAR-T cells and bispecific antibodies) that offer promising prospects for deeper B-cell depletion and induce sustained remissions.

Finally, in rheumatoid arthritis, optimal patient management – from early to difficult-to-treat forms – relies on accurate identification of prognostic factors (seropositivity, bone erosions, comorbidities) and rapid therapeutic intervention aimed at reducing glucocorticoid exposure and improving treatment efficacy. 

Taken together, these innovations illustrate the emergence of precision medicine in rheumatology, with the potential to sustainably improve patient prognosis and quality of life. 

Keywords 

Arthritis, JAK inhibitors, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), CAR-T cells, bispecific antibodies, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), biologicals