Joint Ventures: Nipocalimab Advances and a Deucravacitinib Decision Looms

In this episode of Joint Ventures, hosts Jack Arnold, MBBS, PhD, an academic clinical lecturer in rheumatology at the University of Leeds, and Rihards Buss, MBBS, a consultant rheumatologist at Freeman Hospital, dive into 2 emerging therapeutic strategies with the potential to reshape care for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA): Fc receptor blockade with nipocalimab and tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) inhibition with deucravacitinib, distinct pathways united by a shared goal of greater precision in immune modulation.

The discussion began with nipocalimab, an FcRn inhibitor designed to accelerate clearance of pathogenic IgG. Arnold outlined the biologic rationale behind interrupting IgG recycling to reduce autoantibody burden, drawing parallels to plasma exchange but through a targeted pharmacologic approach. Buss highlighted recently announced phase 2 data in SLE, including achievement of the SRI-4 primary endpoint, as well as prior positive findings in Sjögren disease and rheumatoid arthritis, the former of which earned breakthrough therapy designation.^1,2 The hosts emphasized encouraging early steroid-sparing signals and a favorable safety profile to date, while underscoring the need for full data presentation and phase 3 confirmation before defining its place in practice.

Shifting to TYK2 inhibition, Arnold and Buss examined deucravacitinib, an oral agent already approved for plaque psoriasis and now under regulatory review for psoriatic arthritis (PsA) with a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) date of March 6, 2026.³ They unpacked how selective TYK2 targeting may modulate IL-23 and IL-12 signaling more narrowly than traditional JAK inhibitors, potentially avoiding broader safety concerns associated with that class. The hosts reviewed phase 3 PsA data demonstrating sustained ACR20 responses and inhibition of radiographic progression, as well as emerging lupus data suggesting durable efficacy with reassuring long-term safety signals. Together, they explored where these therapies may ultimately fit, whether in steroid-dependent lupus, multidomain psoriatic disease, or complex overlap syndromes, framing both agents not as silver bullets, but as promising additions to an expanding and increasingly precise therapeutic arsenal.

“We have to be careful, because the road to ruin is paved with biological plausibility. And as you say, in lupus, we have a somewhat checkered history with with clinical trials, although we are starting to break that dance. So I'm very hopeful,” Arnold said.

Arnold’s disclosures include Alumis, Roche, and Novartis. Buss has no relevant disclosures to report.

References

1. Johnson V. Nipocalimab Reduces SLE Disease Activity, Meeting JASMINE Study End Point. Article. HCPLive. January 9, 2026. https://www.rheum-live.com/view/nipocalimab-reduces-sle-disease-activity-jasmine-study-end-point

2. Ghaith Noaiseh, Sivils KL, Campbell K, et al. Efficacy and safety of nipocalimab in patients with moderate-to-severe Sjögren’s disease (DAHLIAS): a randomised, phase 2, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. The Lancet. Published online October 1, 2025. doi: 0.1016/s0140-6736(25)01430-8

3. Johnson V. TYK2 Inhibitor Deucravacitinib up for FDA Review for Psoriatic Arthritis. Article. HCPLive. July 21, 2025. https://www.rheum-live.com/view/tyk2-inhibitor-deucravacitinib-up-for-fda-review-for-psoriatic-arthritis