Between the Lines

Dr. Philip Mease and Dr. Saakshi Khattri discuss the BE BOLD trial, the first head-to-head Phase 3b study comparing bimekizumab (IL-17A/F inhibitor) and risankizumab (IL-23 inhibitor) in active psoriatic arthritis. They review the 16-week efficacy data, where bimekizumab achieved a significantly higher ACR50 response rate, along with faster onset of action and superior DAPSA outcomes, plus comparable safety profiles between the two agents. The conversation also covers the clinical and economic burden of psoriatic arthritis, shifting treatment sequencing toward earlier biologic use, and the study's implications for payers and formulary decision-making.

Dr. Kirk Campbell and Dr. Howard Trachtman unpack FSGS pathophysiology and subtypes, trace the evolving treatment landscape, and dissect the pivotal DUPLEX trial behind sparsentan, the first FDA-approved FSGS-specific therapy, closing with practical guidance on aligning payer coverage with DUPLEX evidence and FDA label nuances to optimize patient access.

In this MHE Between the Lines series, expert oncologists discuss the 7-year follow-up data from the Phase III CROWN study, examining long-term outcomes with lorlatinib versus crizotinib as first-line treatment for ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer. Key topics include progression-free survival outcomes, intracranial disease control, safety and tolerability considerations, and the clinical implications of these findings for community oncology practice.

In this Managed Healthcare Executive Between The Lines series, diabetes and managed care experts examine the clinical and economic impact of continuous glucose monitoring in diabetes care, delivering key insights for patients, providers, and payers.

In this MHE Between the Lines series, expert panelists discuss key updates and clinical insights related to non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The discussion focuses on the immunotherapy landscape in NSCLC, the EMPOWER-Lung 3 5-year outcomes, and key takeaways for clinicians, payors, and patients.

Clinical Trial Updates on Treatments Targeting BRAF V600E in Metastatic Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer brings together two leading thoracic oncologists, Dr. Ibiayi Dagogo-Jack and Dr. Julia Rotow, for an in-depth discussion of the evolving treatment landscape for BRAF V600E–mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Framed around emerging results from the PHAROS trial, the conversation explores the clinical performance, safety, and real-world applicability of encorafenib + binimetinib, now an important targeted therapy option for this rare molecular subset.

The experts review trial design, efficacy outcomes, survival projections, safety considerations, monitoring strategies, central nervous system (CNS) disease management, and areas of unmet need. They also address practical implications for clinicians, patients, and payers, including the essential role of comprehensive genomic profiling and timely access to targeted treatment. The program serves as an educational guide for optimizing care for patients with BRAF V600E–mutant metastatic NSCLC.

The EMERALD trial established elacestrant as an effective, well-tolerated oral SERD offering improved outcomes for ESR1-mutated, ER+/HER2– metastatic breast cancer, particularly in endocrine-sensitive and chemotherapy-naive populations.

Eingun James Song, MD, FAAD, Co-CMO; and Philip Mease, MD, MACR, discuss how bimekizumab’s dual IL-17A and IL-17F inhibition mechanism addresses the multidomain nature of psoriatic arthritis by significantly improving patient-reported outcomes, including pain, fatigue, work productivity and quality of life, as demonstrated in the BE OPTIMAL and BE COMPLETE phase 3 clinical trials.

Diana Brixner, BPharm, PhD, FAMCP, and Shira Eytan, MD, FACE discuss how misdiagnosis of type 1 diabetes as type 2 diabetes leads to significantly increased healthcare resource utilization, with 31% of type 1 patients having been previously misdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes, resulting in more hospitalizations, emergency visits, and ineffective treatments before receiving proper autoantibody testing and insulin therapy.

Eric K. Singhi, M.D.,and ​Ben Creelan, M.D., discuss how over the past 5 years, PD-1 inhibitors have reshaped first-line therapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), improving survival outcomes. Biomarkers like PD-L1 and patient characteristics guide treatment choices. New data on cemiplimab enhances decision-making, balancing efficacy with quality of life.

Gary M. Owens, MD, and Lawrence Eichenfield, MD, discuss how an atopic dermatitis therapy demonstrates significant clinical efficacy through targeted JAK inhibition, providing sustained symptom relief, reduced healthcare utilization, and decreased steroid dependency across diverse patient populations as evidenced by 18-month retrospective claims analysis.

Timothy Mok, PharmD, BCPS, BCOP, and Gabriela Hobbs, MD, review findings from the MAJIC-PV study and offer insights on the evolving treatment of patients with polycythemia vera who have hydroxyurea intolerance or resistance.

The SAPHYR trial unveils serilumab's potential as a steroid-sparing option for refractory Polymyalgia Rheumatica, positively impacting patients, providers, and payers. Robert Spiera, MD, and Dana McCormick, RPh, discuss how Serilumab could reduce steroid-related side effects in these patients.

Experts discuss two analyses of nusinersen in a journal club fashion by covering study background, methods, results, and takeaways.

Gary Owens, MD, and David Rosmarin, MD, highlight key takeaways in vitiligo treatment as produced by the TRuE-V studies.

Experts discuss Rebyota and the cost effectiveness of treating C. Difficile.