Citations

Background Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH), characterized by extremely elevated low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) due to severely impaired LDL‐C clearance from circulation, remains challenging to treat. Here, we investigated clinical benefits of monoclonal antibody, evinacumab, inhibiting angiopoietin‐like 3, recently approved in children with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. Methods This retrospective, observational study included 13 children with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia on oral lipid‐lowering therapy and assessed their attainment of LDL‐C goal, need for lipoprotein apheresis (LA), and cardiac plaque formation at initiation of evinacumab and at follow‐up of 2.0 (1.3–3.0) years. Results Evinacumab, initiated at age 11 (8.5–13.5) years, increased number of patients reaching LDL‐C goal from none before initiation to 9 of 13 (69%; P =0.004) at follow‐up. Mean±SD LDL‐C at follow‐up was 111 (44) mg/dL, compared with 206 (61) mg/dL before evinacumab (mean difference, −95 mg/dL [95% CI, −142 to −47]; P <0.001). Before initiation of evinacumab, 11 of 13 children received LA with average interval of 7.8 days. At follow‐up, LA frequency decreased in 7 of 11 children with average interval of 18.9 days; increase between LA sessions was 11.0 days (3.5–18.5; P =0.008), 42% longer session interval. For 3 (15%) children, due to evinacumab initiation, LA remained dispensable over the course of treatment. Coronary computed tomography angiography showed plaque stabilization (n=5), regression (n=3), and no formation (n=2), in 10 of 13 (77%) children, and plaque progression in 3 (23%) children. Conclusions Add‐on evinacumab increased number of children with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia reaching and maintaining LDL‐C goal, concomitant reduction in LA frequency, and in most patients, stabilization or improvement in coronary computed tomography angiography findings.

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) arises from mutations in cilia-associated genes, such as PKD1 and PKD2 , expressed in renal epithelial cells, leading to progressive kidney dysfunction and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). PKD patients exhibit significant heterogeneity in disease progression, largely due to genetic and environmental modifiers. Like patients, mouse models of PKD also exhibit significant heterogeneity with regards to the gene mutated, age of disease onset, and rate of disease progression. To elucidate the cellular and molecular consequences of these variables, we constructed an integrated single-cell RNA sequencing atlas across mouse models of PKD, mapping changes in cell type composition, gene expression, and intercellular signaling networks across the whole atlas and within individual models. Across models, single cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) data revealed increased Spp1 (osteopontin) expression and signaling from PKD-enriched clusters. Global deletion of Spp1 in Pkd1 RC/RC mice resulted in a modest reduction in cyst severity and improved kidney function. From these studies, we created a freely available, searchable website (https://bmblx.bmi.osumc.edu/scPKD/) that can be used to identify cross- and intra-model changes in gene expression, guiding researchers to new therapeutic targets for treating PKD.

ABSTRACT In 567 PH‐COPD patients from the PVRI GoDeep Meta‐Registry, ACE inhibitor use was associated with improved survival only in severe PH (PVR > 5 WU), supporting prospective trials targeting this high‐risk subgroup.

Abstract Dermatomyositis is driven by overactivation of type I and II interferons and other proinflammatory cytokines that signal via the JAK-STAT pathway. We conducted a 12-week, open-label study of brepocitinib, an oral TYK2/JAK1 inhibitor, in five adults with severe cutaneous dermatomyositis. Treatment was associated with rapid, clinically meaningful improvement in cutaneous disease activity. Single-cell and spatial transcriptomic profiling of lesional skin showed marked suppression of interferon-responsive pathways and inflammatory cell states by week 4. Together with findings from a Phase 3 randomized trial in DM patients with skin and muscle involvement (VALOR, NCT05437263 ), these data support TYK2/JAK1 inhibition as a promising therapeutic strategy for DM.

Abstract Antidepressants are widely prescribed for major depressive disorder, yet only one-third of patients achieve remission after initial treatment. Previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of clinically assessed antidepressant response combined multiple antidepressant classes, potentially obscuring class-specific effects. This study focused on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), often first-line due to better tolerability. Data from 15 cohorts across four ancestries were integrated: European (N = 3887; 11 studies), East Asian (N = 1068; 4), African (N = 277; 1), and Admixed American (N = 250; 1). GWAS of non-remission and percentage improvement were conducted within cohorts, followed by ancestry-specific meta-analyses and trans-ancestry meta-regression. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based heritability was estimated in European samples. Polygenic scores were used for leave-one-out prediction and to assess shared genetic architecture with psychiatric traits. Gene-level and gene-set enrichment analyses were also performed. No genome-wide significant variants were identified for either outcome in any ancestry-specific or trans-ancestry analyses. However, trans-ancestry meta-regression yielded eight independent loci with suggestive associations (p < 1 × 10 −5 ) for non-remission and 17 for percentage improvement. Gene-set analyses revealed nominal enrichment of the serotonergic synapse pathway for non-remission. SNP-based heritability estimates were not significantly different from zero for either outcome. Better SSRI response was nominally associated with lower genetic predisposition to major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and schizophrenia. This study represents the largest trans-ancestry GWAS of SSRI response, highlighting emerging biological signals. Limited power emphasises the need for larger and ancestrally diverse cohorts to better characterise the genetic architecture of antidepressant response.

Abstract Isolated cardiac sarcoidosis (iCS), defined by granulomatous inflammation limited to the myocardium, represents the most diagnostically challenging and prognostically adverse form of sarcoidosis. As it is fundamentally a diagnosis of exclusion, iCS diagnosis relies on the absence of extracardiac sarcoid and the integration of multimodality imaging, endomyocardial biopsy, and molecular testing, each with inherent limitations. Cardiac magnetic resonance and positron emission tomography provide complementary assessment of inflammation, fibrosis, and ventricular function, enhancing diagnostic confidence. Electroanatomic mapping-guided biopsy may improve histologic yield, whereas genetic testing helps exclude phenocopies such as arrhythmogenic, hypertrophic, or dilated cardiomyopathies. Circulating biomarkers remain non-specific but may complement imaging-based algorithms. Future research should focus on harmonized imaging protocols, non-FDG radiotracers, and molecular tissue profiling to refine activity assessment and guide therapy. Multimodal, probability-based frameworks represent the most promising approach for earlier, more accurate diagnosis and risk stratification in iCS.

9567 Background: Resected stage IIB/C and microscopic stage IIIA/B/C/D melanoma presents a significant risk of recurrence risk of 37 to 62% at 5 years (yrs). While 1 year of adjuvant PD1 therapy reduces this risk by approximately half, the individual patient’s baseline risk without treatment and their specific benefit from adjuvant PD1 remain unknown. We aimed to generate two separate predictive models for recurrence – one for untreated and one for treated pts - to calculate the individualised benefit of adjuvant PD1. Methods: Pts with resected stage IIB/C or microscopic stage IIIA/B/C/D melanoma, either treated with adjuvant PD1 or untreated at 13 major melanoma centres, and with at least 2 years of follow-up from surgery were included. We analysed pts demographics, disease characteristics, blood parameters, pathological and imaging data at baseline, and clinical outcomes. Propensity scores were estimated using logistic regression with covariates associated with treatment in univariate screening (p<0.05). Separate penalised multivariable logistic regression models were built to predict recurrence for treated and untreated pts. A tool based on these models was created to calculate the individual patient benefit from adjuvant PD1. Results: A total of 3560 pts was included, divided into untreated (discovery n=2384 and validation n=597) and treated (discovery n=404 and validation n=175) cohorts. The model for untreated pts included age, gender, primary site, histological subtype, Breslow thickness, ulceration, mitosis, number and site of regional lymph nodes (LN), mutation status and LDH (AUC 0.70 in discovery, 0.69 in validation). The model for treated pts included age, gender, Breslow thickness, site of regional LN, and mutation status (AUC 0.69 in discovery, 0.61 in validation). ADAPT-M (ADjuvant Anti-PD-1 Tool for Melanoma) calculates the individualized benefit of adjuvant PD1. For example, patient A, a woman ≤45 years old with a primary head & neck melanoma (superficial spreading, thickness >1-2 mm, no ulceration, 1 mitosis/mm 2 ), 2 clinically occult LN metastases in the neck, NRAS mutant, and normal LDH, has a 12-month recurrence risk of 21.9% untreated vs 2.3% treated (benefit 19.6%), and a 24-month risk of 41.1% untreated vs 6.4% treated (benefit 34.7%). While, patient B, a man ≤45 years old with a primary melanoma in the lower limb (nodular, thickness >1-2 mm, no ulceration, 1 mitosis/mm 2 ), 2 clinically occult LN metastases in the groin, BRAF V600 mutant, and normal LDH, has a 12-month recurrence risk of 14.2% untreated vs 11.8% treated (benefit 2.5%), and a 24-month risk of 28.0% untreated vs 30.1% treated (no benefit). Conclusions: ADAPT-M, a clinical tool that estimate individualized recurrence risks with and without adjuvant anti-PD1 therapy, quantifies the absolute benefit of treatment for pts with high-risk resected melanoma, facilitating personalized adjuvant therapy decisions.

4614 Background: Enfortumab vedotin (EV) + pembrolizumab (pembro) is the established first-line standard of care for locally advanced/metastatic urothelial carcinoma and represents a novel neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment strategy for patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) who are ineligible for cisplatin-based chemotherapy. The randomized phase 3 KEYNOTE-B15/EV-304 study (NCT04700124) evaluates neoadjuvant EV + pembro followed by radical cystectomy plus pelvic lymph node dissection (RC + PLND) and adjuvant EV + pembro vs neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by RC + PLND in participants (pts) with MIBC who are eligible for cisplatin-based therapy. Methods: Pts with clinical stage T2-T4aN0M0 or T1-T4aN1M0 MIBC (confirmed by central pathology and central imaging assessment) who were eligible for cisplatin-based chemotherapy and RC + PLND were randomized 1:1 to receive either 4 cycles neoadjuvant EV 1.25 mg/kg IV on days 1 and 8 + pembro 200 mg IV on day 1 Q3W, followed by RC + PLND, and adjuvant 5 cycles EV + 13 cycles pembro (EV + pembro arm) vs 4 cycles neoadjuvant gemcitabine 1000 mg/m 2 on days 1 and 8 + cisplatin 70 mg/m 2 on day 1 Q3W, followed by RC + PLND (cis + gem arm). The primary endpoint was event-free survival (EFS) by blinded independent central review. Key secondary endpoints were pathological complete response (pCR) rate by blinded central pathological review and overall survival (OS). Safety was a secondary endpoint; AEs of special interest were based on distinct prespecified lists for each drug. Results: A total of 405 and 403 pts were randomized to EV + pembro and cis + gem, respectively. Median time from randomization to the data cutoff date of October 27, 2025 was 33.6 months (range, 22.5–53.6). Baseline characteristics were generally balanced between groups. EV + pembro significantly improved EFS (median NR vs 48.5 mo; 24-mo estimated EFS rate 79.4% vs 66.2%; HR 0.53, 95% CI 0.41–0.70; 1-sided P <.0001), OS (median NR vs NR; 24-mo estimated OS rate 86.9% vs 81.3%; HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.48–0.89; 1-sided P =.0029), and pCR rate (55.8% vs 32.5%; estimated difference 23.4%, 95% CI 16.7–29.8; 1-sided P <.0001) vs cis + gem. Grade ≥3 treatment-emergent AEs occurred in 75.7% of pts with EV + pembro and 67.2% with cis + gem. Most common grade ≥3 drug-related AE of special interest for EV was skin reactions (14.1%); most common grade ≥3 AE of special interest for pembro was severe skin reactions (13.9%). Conclusions: Neoadjuvant and adjuvant EV + pembro significantly improved EFS, OS, and pCR rate compared with neoadjuvant gem + cis in pts with MIBC who were eligible for cisplatin-based chemotherapy. The safety profile of EV + pembro was consistent with prior experience with the combination. These results support EV + pembro as an effective perioperative treatment option in this setting. Clinical trial information: NCT04700124 .

Abstract Background The Global Bipolar Cohort (GBC) was established to identify existing bipolar disorder (BD) cohorts worldwide and foster collaborations focused on descriptive and analytic outcomes relevant to BD. A distributed analytic framework has been implemented to engage multiple sites without the need for central data pooling. This report describes the GBC endeavor and global functional impairment patterns. Cross-cohort comparisons of functional correlates are limited by heterogeneous measures and data-sharing constraints. Large, culturally diverse comparisons are needed to distinguish broadly reproducible correlates from cohort-specific effects. Participating sites completed a 28-item descriptive survey covering diagnostic methods, cognition, genetics, treatment, functioning, and follow-up strategies. We implemented a harmonized local logistic regression model of dichotomized functional outcome and shared summary statistics only. Results We identified 69 cohorts across five continents. Thirty-seven cohorts contributed functional outcome analyses from 17,130 participants. Outcome measures included clinician-rated disability scales and social indicators such as employment and marital status. The proportion classified with poor functioning ranged from 16% to 77% (mean 50%). In 32 of 37 cohorts, the overall regression model significantly explained variance in functioning. Current depressive symptoms were the most robust and reproducible correlate of poor functional outcome: they were assessed in 29 cohorts, significant in 22 (75.8%), ranked among the top three correlates in 22, and were the top-ranked correlates in 19. Associations between depressive burden and poor functioning were observed across clinician-rated disability scales and work or social indicators, and across geographically diverse cohorts. Comorbid substance use disorder and medication-related variables were associated with poorer functioning in subsets of cohorts, whereas sex, ancestry, bipolar subtype, psychosis history, and premorbid IQ showed weak or inconsistent associations. Cognitive measures, available in a minority of regression models, showed modest and non-uniform effects. Conclusions Across heterogeneous international cohorts, current depressive symptom burden emerged as the most consistent correlate of poor functioning in bipolar disorder. These findings replicate earlier multisite work at a larger scale, show that protocol-based distributed analyses can identify reproducible clinical signals without sharing individual-level data, and support prioritizing detection and treatment of depressive symptoms when aiming to improve real-world functioning. Future work should expand longitudinal harmonization and representation of under-studied populations.