First Half 2026 Rheumatology Recap

The first half of 2026 was among the most consequential half-years in rheumatology in recent memory, defined by a first-in-class oral approval, landmark head-to-head data, a major EULAR readout season, 2 significant guideline updates, and a string of regulatory filings that set up an eventful second half. The most significant regulatory story of the half was the March approval of deucravacitinib for psoriatic arthritis (PsA) — the first TYK2 inhibitor indicated for PsA, expanding a class already established in plaque psoriasis.