What's next in rheumatology — October 28, 2026

This edition gathers four rheumatology milestones with a scheduled or estimated date before the end of 2026: the ACR annual meeting, an FDA decision in lupus, a phase 3 results readout projected for 2026 (deucravacitinib in lupus) and the estimated completion of a second phase 3 trial (dazodalibep in Sjögren's). For each one we state how firm the date is and which source supports it.

1. ACR Convergence 2026: annual meeting and late-breaking abstract session

[Congress] [USA] [Confirmed date: November 6, 2026 to November 11, 2026]
What it is: the American College of Rheumatology annual meeting in Orlando (Florida), November 6–11, 2026. The late-breaking abstract session is scheduled for Wednesday, November 11, 8:00–9:30 a.m. (US Eastern time), according to the official schedule.
What problem it solves: it brings together in one place trial and study data presented for the first time, which usually shape the following year of practice.
Critical take: meeting abstracts, and late-breaking abstracts in particular, have not undergone full peer review; wait for publication before changing practice.

Sources

• [Meeting] ACR Convergence 2026, Schedule at a Glance, November 6–11, 2026. https://www.acrconvergencetoday.org/schedule-at-a-glance/
• [Meeting] ACR Convergence 2026, meeting abstracts (ACR Meeting Abstracts), November 6–11, 2026. https://acrabstracts.org/meetings/acr-convergence-2026/

2. Obinutuzumab in systemic lupus erythematosus: FDA decision

[Pending regulatory decision] [USA (also filed with the EMA)] [Estimated date: by December 2026, per Genentech]
What it is: a supplemental BLA for the type II anti-CD20 antibody obinutuzumab in SLE, accepted by the FDA according to Genentech on April 20, 2026. It is based on ALLEGORY (NCT04963296), a phase 3 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial funded by F. Hoffmann-La Roche and published in N Engl J Med: 303 adults with active SLE on standard therapy, without proliferative or membranous lupus nephritis, randomized 1:1 to obinutuzumab (151) or placebo (152); SRI-4 response at week 52 of 76.7% vs 53.5% (adjusted difference 23.1 percentage points; 95% CI 12.5–33.6; p<0.001). It is already approved for lupus nephritis in the US and EU.
What problem it solves: active SLE despite standard therapy; current options are belimumab, anifrolumab or off-label rituximab.
Critical take: SRI-4 is a composite response index. The clinical results of ALLEGORY are published in peer-reviewed form in N Engl J Med (manufacturer-funded trial, F. Hoffmann-La Roche); the decision date, by contrast, is a Genentech projection, not an FDA calendar. Cost, access and the risk of serious infections flagged in the product information will weigh heavily in resource-limited settings.

Sources

• [Official release] Genentech, April 20, 2026. https://www.gene.com/media/press-releases/15107/2026-04-20/fda-accepts-application-for-genentechs-g
• [Registry] NCT04963296, ClinicalTrials.gov. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04963296
• [Article] Furie RA, Dall'Era M, Vital EM, et al. "Efficacy and Safety of Obinutuzumab in Active Systemic Lupus Erythematosus". N Engl J Med. 2026;395(3):243-254. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2516150. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41789864/

3. Deucravacitinib in SLE: POETYK SLE-1 and SLE-2 readout

[Ongoing trial] [Phase 3] [Estimated date: 2026, per Bristol Myers Squibb (results presentation of July 30, 2026)]
What it is: two pivotal phase 3 trials of the oral TYK2 inhibitor deucravacitinib (3 mg twice daily) versus placebo in SLE, with SRI-4 response at week 52 as the primary endpoint: POETYK SLE-1 (NCT05617677; 516 participants) and POETYK SLE-2 (NCT05620407; 513 participants). Bristol Myers Squibb projects the readout of both for 2026; results have not yet been reported.
What problem it solves: there is no approved targeted oral therapy for SLE; current care combines hydroxychloroquine, glucocorticoids, immunosuppressants and parenteral biologics.
Critical take: phase 2 (PAISLEY; 363 patients) met its primary endpoint (SRI-4 at week 32: 58% with 3 mg twice daily vs 34% with placebo), but SLE has a long record of negative phase 3 trials; the date is a sponsor projection and may slip.

Sources

• [Official release] Bristol Myers Squibb, Q2 2026 results investor presentation, July 30, 2026. https://www.bms.com/assets/bms/us/en-us/pdf/investor-info/doc_presentations/2026/BMY-2026-Q2-Results-Investor-Presentation-with-Appendix.pdf
• [Registry] NCT05617677 (POETYK SLE-1), ClinicalTrials.gov. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05617677
• [Registry] NCT05620407 (POETYK SLE-2), ClinicalTrials.gov. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05620407
• [Article] Morand E, Pike M, Merrill JT, et al. "Deucravacitinib, a Tyrosine Kinase 2 Inhibitor, in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Phase II, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial". Arthritis Rheumatol. 2023;75(2):242-252. DOI: 10.1002/art.42391. https://acrjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/art.42391

4. Dazodalibep in Sjögren's disease: estimated completion of the second phase 3 trial

[Ongoing trial] [Phase 3] [Estimated date: fourth quarter of 2026 (OASIZ 303 completion, not results reporting), per Amgen]
What it is: a CD40 ligand (CD40L) antagonist fusion protein. OASIZ 301 (phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled; approximately 621 adults with moderate-to-severe systemic disease activity, ESSDAI ≥5) met its primary endpoint of change from baseline in ESSDAI at week 48, according to topline results announced by Amgen on September 22, 2026; OASIZ 303, also randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled, in patients with high symptom burden and low systemic activity, is expected to complete in the fourth quarter of 2026, according to Amgen, which has not announced a date for its results. Amgen will present detailed OASIZ 301 data at an upcoming medical meeting, with no date announced.
What problem it solves: according to Amgen, there are no approved systemic or disease-modifying treatments for Sjögren's disease. Approved symptomatic treatments do exist, such as cevimeline, indicated in its US prescribing information for the symptoms of dry mouth in Sjögren's syndrome; dazodalibep, by contrast, is an investigational immunomodulator aimed at disease activity. Current care also relies on secretion replacement, hydroxychloroquine, glucocorticoids and off-label immunosuppressants.
Critical take: the effect size is still unknown; OASIZ 303 targets symptoms that are hard to change and could be negative; trial completion is not the same as reporting or publishing results.

Sources

• [Official release] Amgen, September 22, 2026. https://www.amgen.com/newsroom/press-releases/2026/09/amgen-announces-positive-topline-phase-3-results-for-dazodalibep-in-moderatetosevere-systemic-sjgrens-disease
• [Regulator] DailyMed (NLM), EVOXAC prescribing information (cevimeline; Daiichi Sankyo), revised June 2022. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=0679dd4c-fece-4c6d-b273-2c62237e8973

*What's next in rheumatology — October 28, 2026*

1. ACR Convergence 2026 (Orlando): annual meeting with a late-breaking abstract session on November 11 — November 6–11, 2026.
2. Obinutuzumab in SLE: FDA decision expected by December 2026, per Genentech (ALLEGORY, published in NEJM: SRI-4 76.7% vs 53.5%).
3. Oral deucravacitinib in SLE: POETYK phase 3 results projected for 2026, not yet reported.
4. Dazodalibep in Sjögren's: per Amgen, the second phase 3 trial (OASIZ 303) is expected to complete in Q4 2026, with no date for its results; the first (OASIZ 301) met its primary endpoint.

Each item with its official source and a critical take.
Full text and audio: https://boletinesmedicos.com/en/rheumatology/2026-10-28-viene.html
MedBulletins · boletinesmedicos.com

What's next in rheumatology — October 28, 2026

Four milestones with scheduled or estimated dates in the coming months:
• ACR Convergence 2026 (November 6–11, Orlando): annual meeting with a late-breaking abstract session on November 11.
• Obinutuzumab in SLE: FDA decision expected by December 2026, per Genentech, based on ALLEGORY (published in NEJM).
• Deucravacitinib, an oral TYK2 inhibitor in SLE: POETYK readout projected for 2026.
• Dazodalibep in Sjögren's: after a first phase 3 that met its primary endpoint, the second trial is expected to complete in Q4 2026, per Amgen; completion is not the same as reporting results.

Each item covers the clinical problem it addresses, current practice and a critical take (data origin, composite endpoints, local applicability).

Full text and audio: https://boletinesmedicos.com/en/rheumatology/2026-10-28-viene.html

#Rheumatology #Lupus #Sjogren #ACR2026 #EvidenceBasedMedicine

What's next in rheumatology: ACR 2026 (Nov 6–11), FDA decision on obinutuzumab in SLE (by Dec 2026), deucravacitinib phase 3 readout in SLE (projected 2026), estimated completion of a 2nd dazodalibep phase 3 in Sjögren's (Q4 2026). Sources: https://boletinesmedicos.com/en/rheumatology/2026-10-28-viene.html