B-Cell Depletion for Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases: Expert Perspectives of This Mechanistic Therapeutic Approach in Clinical Context
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Oct 08, 2025
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About This Presentation
Thomas Dörner, MD, Nancy Carteron, MD, FACR, and Manuel F. Ugarte-Gil, MD, MSc, PhD, discuss autoimmune rheumatic diseases in this IME activity titled "B-Cell Depletion for Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases: Expert Perspectives of This Mechanistic Therapeutic Approach in Clinical Context." Fo...
Thomas Dörner, MD, Nancy Carteron, MD, FACR, and Manuel F. Ugarte-Gil, MD, MSc, PhD, discuss autoimmune rheumatic diseases in this IME activity titled "B-Cell Depletion for Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases: Expert Perspectives of This Mechanistic Therapeutic Approach in Clinical Context." For the full presentation, please visit us at www.peervoice.com/SDS870.
Size: 5.02 MB
Language: en
Added: Oct 08, 2025
Slides: 47 pages
Slide Content
PeerVoice
B-Cell Depletion for Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases: Expert Perspectives of
This Mechanistic Therapeutic Approach in Clinical Context
Learning Objectives
Explain the impact of suboptimal treatment of autoimmune rheumatic diseases on
patient outcomes
Discuss the mechanistic role of B cells in the pathophysiology of
autoimmune rheumatic diseases
Explain why—despite suboptimal results with established B-cell-targeting therapies in
autoimmune rheumatic diseases such as Sjógren's disease, systemic lupus
erythematosus (SLE), and lupus nephritis—B-cell-targeting still holds therapeutic
promise
Identify B-cell-targeting therapies currently being investigated for
autoimmune rheumatic diseases and their methods for achieving B-cell depletion
This independent medical education activity is supported by an educational grant from Novartis Pharma AG
Part 1 of 3: Common Challenges and Trends in the Treatment of
Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases
Nt po!
a
Thomas Dórner, MD Nancy Carteron, MD, FACR Manuel F. Ugarte-Gil, MD, MSc, PhD
Charite Berlin and DRFZ Berlin University of California, Universidad Cientifica del Sur
Charite Universitátsmedizin Berlin Berkeley and San Francisco Hospital Guillermo Almenara Irigoyen EsSalud
Berlin, Germany Interdisciplinary Sjógren's Clinic Lima, Perú
Thomas Dérner, MD, has a financial interest/relationship or affiliation in the form of:
Consultant for AbelZeta Inc; Bristol Myers Squibb Company; F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd;
Johnson & Johnson; and Novartis AG.
Honoraria from AbelZeta Inc; Bristol Myers Squibb Company; F. Hoffmann-La Roche
Ltd; Johnson & Johnson; Novartis AG; and UCB Pharma Ltd.
Nancy Carteron, MD, FACR, has a financial interest/relationship or affiliation in
the form of:
Consultant for Bristol Myers Squibb Company.
Manuel F. Ugarte-Gil, MD, MSc, PhD, has a financial interest/relationship or affiliation in
the form of:
Consultant for AstraZeneca; Grupo Ferrer Internacional, S.A; GSK plc.; and Tecnofarma.
Grant/Research Support from Janssen Inc.
Decreased quality of life similar to patients with RA and SLE
Increased risk of disabi
ased mortality in a subset of patients with Sjogren's disease
RA: rheumatoid arthritis.
Barrio-Cortes J et al Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2023;412387-240. Miyamoto ST et al Rheumatology (Oxford). 2021:60:2588-2601
Huang H et al Rheumatology (Oxtord). 202160:4029-4038.
Sjogren's Disease is NOT Just a Disease of Dryness!
According to the Living With Sjógren's patient survey:
81%:
Significant
emotional burden
80%:
“Brain fog” is
experienced
symptom
21 symptoms experienced by >50%
36 symptoms experienced by 230%
H
&
i
commonly E
i
IM
25%:
Fatigue is greatest
negative impact E =
PALIN,
‘The Living with Sjogren's patient survey was conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of the Sjogren's Foundation. This survey was designed to gain
insight into the variety and severity of what adult US individuals living with Sjogren's experience and how the disease impacts their quality of life.
Courtesy of Nancy Carteron, MD, FACR on behalf of Sjögren’s Foundation.
Advances in biomarker and physiopathology discovery should result in more
sensitive/specific tests and clinical subgroup identification for Sjogren's disease
100 I Regulariy experienced
m Most bothersome
80
x
§ 60
a
& 40
Data from 4,375 SLE survey respondents from 35 European countries: 95.9% women; median age, 45 (IQR, 36-54) y; 70.7% Caucasians.
Cornet A et al. Lupus Sci Med, 202188000469,
Data from 4,375 SLE survey respondents from 35 European countries: 95.9% women; median age, 45 (IQR, 36-54) y; 70.7% Caucasians.
Graph results shown: n = 4,099; oral steroid dose available: n = 3,978.
Sjógren's Disease
Lower awareness and lack of standard
diagnostic criteria contribute to delayed
diagnoses
SLE
525% of patients receive a misdiagnosis
before correct diagnosis; rheumatologist
shortages cause delays
imited access to treatments
Limited access to immunosuppressants
and biological therapies hinders effective
treatment
‘Only 35% of patients in Latin America have
access to specialised treatments; limited
availability of biologics
Higher disease severity in Mestizo and,
‘Amerindian populations
Ethnic variations impact disease
presentation; limited data on outcomes for
Mestizo populations
Mestizo and Amerindian patients have
higher rates of LN and poorer long-term.
‘outcomes
Economic and social barriers to disease
management
‘Socioeconomic disparities affect disease
management, leading to lower treatment
adherence
20% of patients had to stop working due
to SLE; insurance and medication access
issues
imited awareness and diagnostic
challenges
Many cases remain undiagnosed due to
the overlap of symptoms with other
‘autoimmune diseases
Lack of knowledge among primary care
physicians leads to underdiagnosis and
delayed referral
High burden of systemic symptoms and
comorbidities
Higher prevalence of dryness, fatigue, and
polyautoimmunity impacts quality of life
“and function
Fatigue and joint pain significantly impact
daily life; high steroid dependence
increases long-term damage
LN: lupus nep
Elera-Fitzcarraïd C et al. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2025:251-12. Fernandez D et al. PANLAR 2025. Poster 1049. Restrepo-Jiménez P et al. Joint Bone Spine.
2019:86:620-626. Ugarte-Gil MF, Alarcón GS. Clin Immunol Communications. 2023:460-64,
+ Interferon
signalling and other
cytokines
B cells
T-cell and/or B-cell
costimulation
Antibody
presentation
Clinical Heterogeneity
and Patient Stratification
Use endotypic biomarkers
to stratify patients by:
Pathophysiology
‘Autoantibodies
specificity
Cytokine and/or
molecular profiling
Improved Diagnostic
Novel insights into
clinical, molecular, and
histopathologic
stratification based on:
Multiomics techniques
Emerging imaging
biomarkers
New composite
outcome measures
Patient-Reported
Outcome Measures
The EULAR Sjógren's
Syndrome Disease
Activity Index (ESSDAI)
The EULAR Sjógren's
Syndrome Patient
Reported Index (ESSPRI)
The Sjogren's Syndrome
Responder Index (SSRI)
The Sjôgren's Tool for
Assessing Response
(STAR)
The Composite of
Relevant Endpoints for
Sjógren's Syndrome
(CRESS)
RCT: randomised controlled trial.
Baldini C et al. Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2024:20473-491 Rombo VC et al. RMD Open. 2018:4:2000789,
Thomas Dérner, MD, has a financial interest/relationship or affiliation in the form of:
Consultant for AbelZeta Inc; Bristol Myers Squibb Company; F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd;
Johnson & Johnson; and Novartis AG.
Honoraria from AbelZeta Inc; Bristol Myers Squibb Company; F. Hoffmann-La Roche
Ltd; Johnson & Johnson; Novartis AG; and UCB Pharma Ltd.
Nancy Carteron, MD, FACR, has a financial interest/relationship or affiliation in
the form of:
Consultant for Bristol Myers Squibb Company.
Manuel F. Ugarte-Gil, MD, MSc, PhD, has a financial interest/relationship or affiliation in
the form of:
Consultant for AstraZeneca; Grupo Ferrer Internacional, S.A; GSK plc.; and Tecnofarma.
Grant/Research Support from Janssen Inc.
Increase of Atypical CD1ic+ CD21- B Cells in SLE and pSS
Express Multiple Checkpoint Molecules
sue
= nd a
p13? (4-188) enas
Median CTLAS
Median 0226
*P <.05; *P <.OL ***P «O01; ****P < 0001
CTLA cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4; HD: healthy doners; COS: inducible T-cell costimulatory; pSS: primary Sjogren's syndrome (disease):
PDVPDLE programmed cel death protein programmed cell death igand 1.
Rincon-Arevalo H et al Front Immunol, 202112635615.
Signatures of: Comm 2024
+ Role of T-cell help KLH: J Immunol 2018
+ Inducing (auto)antigen Diphtheria: Arthritis
+ Immune activation site te Rheumatol 2017
Junt T etal. Nat Rev Immunol. 2025 Mar 5. dot 10.1038/541577-025-O114I-w. Online ahead of print.
Part 3 of 3: What Are We Learning About B-Cell Depletion in the Treatment of
Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases?
Thomas Dérner, MD Nancy Carteron, MD, FACR Manuel F. Ugarte-Gil, MD, MSc, PhD
Charite Berlin and DRFZ Berlin University of California, Universidad Científica del Sur
Charite Universitátsmedizin Berlin Berkeley and San Francisco Hospital Guillermo Almenara Irigoyen EsSalud
Berlin, Germany Interdisciplinary Sjógren's Clinic Lima, Perú
Berkeley, California, USA
Thomas Dérner, MD, has a financial interest/relationship or affiliation in the form of:
Consultant for AbelZeta Inc; Bristol Myers Squibb Company; F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd;
Johnson & Johnson; and Novartis AG.
Honoraria from AbelZeta Inc; Bristol Myers Squibb Company; F. Hoffmann-La Roche
Ltd; Johnson & Johnson; Novartis AG; and UCB Pharma Ltd.
Nancy Carteron, MD, FACR, has a financial interest/relationship or affiliation in
the form of:
Consultant for Bristol Myers Squibb Company.
Manuel F. Ugarte-Gil, MD, MSc, PhD, has a financial interest/relationship or affiliation in
the form of:
Consultant for AstraZeneca; Grupo Ferrer Internacional, S.A; GSK plc.; and Tecnofarma.
Grant/Research Support from Janssen Inc.
Incomplete Depletion _B Cell-Independent Heterogeneous Immunogenicity and
and Relapse Disease Mechanisms Treatment Response Safety Concerns
Residual memory B cells Innate immune
and plasmablasts drive activation
disease recurrence (eg, type | IFN,
monocyte activation)
Post-depletion BAFF sustains disease Some patients
surge promotes even after B-cell experience long
survival of autoreactive depletion remissions; others
B cells, contributing to within months
relapse despite initial
B-cell depletion
RTX trials showed Risk of
inconsistent results
h repeat
pletion cyc
Baldini C et al Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2024:20473-491 Dorner T,Lipsky PE. Nat Rev Rheumatol, 2024;20:770-782.
Stockfelt Met al Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2025:21:1-126.
Incomplete Depletion of Tissue-Resident B Lineage Cells Upon
Anti-CD20
ent does not achieve
Biopsy studies show that anti
complete B-cell depletion in tissues
Deli K et al Ann Rheum Dis. 2016:75:1933-1938. Hamza M et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2012:711881-1887. Kamburova EG et al Am J Transplant. 2013:13:1503-151L
Thurlings RM et al Ann Rheum Dis. 2008:67.917-925.
= >
gE * Humanised to reduce + Target CDI9 or BCMA, * Fully human to reduce + Spare other B-cell
EE immunogenicity which are more broadly immunogenicity, subsets
ES - Atucosylated Fe expressed compared | * Afucosylated Fe region to
$3 rgion with CD20 improve FCYRI affinity
88 reypuatfinity + Potentilly improved + BAFF-R inhibition
BE. improved direct Gopletion by engagement depletes B cols through
FE cytotoxicity toB cells of Tcells ADOC and simultaneously
(n=72) (n=144) (n=76)
Absolute Change From Baseline in Absolute Change From Basen
DIS: role con Counts Momory Go20¢6027¢8-CollCounts
i
$
1 ~
= ES EN] y =
ER Ea
Absolute Change From Baseine in Absolute Change From Baselno in
Naive C020: CD Brcailenunts Related COS: O celu
he ES
HE Ha
33 Eso! 22288
pi" = 18 = is = =
Time Since Fest Dota wk Time Since Fret Dota, wc
‘Absolute change from baseline by visit through to week 104 among patients who completed week 52 on treatment (ITT population, N = 292).
‘The data for patients in the BEL/PBO and BEL/RTX groups who re-started belimumab after week 52 and for patients in the BEL/ST group who
withdrew belimumab after week 52 were excluded from the analysis.
IQR: interquartile range; ITT: intention-to-treat; PO: placebo; SLEDAI-2K: SLE Disease Activity Index-2000; ST: standard therapy.
yranow C et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2024;83:1502-1512.
Sequential Belimumab and Rituximab in SLE (Cont'd)
Primary
isease control! at week 52 167 19.4 255 278 127 (060-271) | 5342
Major Secondary
Clinical remission at week 64 56 63 106 0.69 112 (0.33-3.78) | 8582
Disease controlt at week 104 69 m 23 417 164 (0.57-4.72) | .3613
* mITT population excludes 29 patients from the BEL/ST group due to independent blinded assessors being potentially unblinded.
** ST included CS, antimalarials, immunosuppressants, and NSAIDs. t OR (95% Ci), adjusted treatment difference (95% CI). and P are from logistic
regression model with covariates: Baseline SLEDAI-2K, baseline immunosuppressants, baseline prednisone-equivalent dose, and treatment group.
{Disease control defined as SLEDAI-2K score <2 achieved without immunosuppressants and with a prednisone-equivalent dose of 5 mg/d:
clinical remission defined as clinical SLEDAI-2K score = O, without immunosuppressants, and with CS at a prednisone-equivalent dose of O mg/d.
IBA: independent blinded assessor; mITT: modified ITT.
Aranow C et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2024;83:1502-1512.
By vs) Anti-dsDNA Antibody Titres D 1 Complement C3
at e
B-Cell Depletion À E vs di
at28 Weeks 2910 5100
ER 530% ÉS
2 E Bos ES
03 wo $ ET
3 o 7 ES wu Ô “ST a a 6 D mm
BB oo Time on Treatment, wk Time on Treatment, wk
82 so > de i A
1% ds Anti-Ciq Antibody Titres ici Complement C4
a 83. 33,
IAN PRO 35% 28”
ge 2e
3 Jos: 5310.
un SE És
pa oz 3
reo SM TTT a se 8 OT a ee
Time on Treatment, wk Time on Treatment, wk
Interim analysis cutoff 27 July 2022.
‘Shen N et al. American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Convergence 2023. Abstract 2487.
SRI-4
Responders
x 80
6 —6— IAN (o = 34)
E gg | So ome) +SRI-4 status
3
E
$ 40 +CS tapered
E
S
= 20
3
$
go
0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28
Treatment Period, wk
Week 28 SRI-4
Interim analysis cutoff: 27 July 2022. Response Endpoint
CS: Predniso(lo)ne or equivalent. Mean, 48.2%
SRI-4: SLE Responder Index-4. (90% Cl, 30.2-64.7)
Shen N et al. ACR Convergence 2023. Abstract 2487.
SLEDAI-2K Anti-dsDNA
25 6000 20
a 5000
2” Sam À 150
fe - 20 2
É 000 À $100
go 5 1909 E
3 600
5 400
MISA 20 À ww ver E
EEES HERE ETTETAMERELTTEDS tZEKLIIEN)
Time, mo
Targeting CD38 With Daratumumab Monotherapy for
Refractory Lupus Nephri
“ls
Trend of proteinuria, Cr. C3 and C4 in responder patients at baseline and at 3 months, 6 months and 12 months: n= 5 biological independent samples were used for each
determination (ane por patienttimepoint). Box plots show median and 1st-3rd intorquartdo range, whiskers indicate minimum-maximum. P « 06 was considered significant.
Cr. serum creatinine.
Roccatall D et al. Nat Med. 2023:29:2041-2047.
MME PEO(n=8) MN BEL+RTX(n=17) MM BEL(n=19) MB RTX (n= 16)
ESSDAI Reduction 23 Points ESSDAI Reduction 25 Points
100 100
80 80
E x
8 so É 60
E 2
8 A
$ 40 2 40
3 &
ES
20 20
o o
Week 24 Week 52 Week 68 Week 24 Week 52 Week 68
ESSDAI reduction vs baseline: completer population N = 60. ESSDAI responder analyses used a generalised estimating equation model
Mariette X et al JCI Insight. 2022:7(23):e163030.
lanalumab in Moderate to Severe Primary Sjógren's Disease
Serum AN cores
Concentrations 4 8-CallCounts
we 2
CE is +
2 2 E 200 ,
$, Es
Sole + 8% pa
Ba 5 -00 -000 À
a
cr DO A
A A AS
PBO-Adjusted Change From
Baseline in Serum
RF Concentrations
PBO-Adjusted Change From
Basoline in Serum
IgG Concentrations
Outcomes shown are either a week 24
or to week 24 by treatment group: IAN
concentrations and B-cell counts are
mean (SD). BAFF, RF, and IgG changes
from baseline are LSM (SE).
LSM:loast-squares mean.
Bowman SJ et al Lancet. 2022:398:161-11.
VAS Patent Gob) 20/60 | som 50/20 | 60/40
dad Rachen Su core | 30/24 = : =
EST = ET = =
EN = a 278 à
a = = Rens
DAS = = sons | sens
Hea Asset asia | wm eno | sons
2.0088 EVE ETE wary | Tere
Four patients with autoimmune diseases resistant to more than 5 immunosuppressants, including RTX.
Clinical efficacy measures were in units, except VAS (mm) and DLCOSE (% predicted).
CDASI: Cutaneous Dermatomyositis Disease Area and Severity Index: DAS28-CRP: Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease Activity Score with C-reactive protein; DLCOSB:
single-breath diffusion capacity of lung for carbon monoxide; MCV: mutated citrulinated vimentin; MDAS: anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5; MMT-
‘8: Manual Muscle Testing 8: VAS: visual analogue scale,
Hagen M et al.N Eng! J Med. 2024:391:867-869,