Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) care in 2025 reflected both accelerating innovation and a growing appreciation of the disease’s systemic complexity. Advances spanned regulatory milestones, late-phase clinical data, and population-level analyses, underscoring how RA management is evolving beyond joint inflammation alone to encompass neuroimmune pathways, cardiometabolic risk, mental health, and long-term comorbidity prevention.

At the regulatory and therapeutic level, the FDA approval of the first neuroimmune modulation device for RA marked a notable departure from traditional pharmacologic immunosuppression, while investigational agents such as rosnilimab continued to demonstrate durable, best-in-disease efficacy profiles in mid-stage trials. At the same time, emerging real-world and retrospective data highlighted unexpected therapeutic intersections, including the potential role of GLP-1 receptor agonists in improving RA disease activity alongside cardiovascular risk factors in patients with overweight or obesity.

Beyond treatment innovation, 2025 data reinforced the widening global burden of RA and the importance of early, holistic disease control. Large-scale epidemiologic analyses showed rising incidence and disability despite falling mortality, while cohort studies linked depression to reduced remission rates and demonstrated that prompt, effective therapy can improve prothrombotic abnormalities early in the disease course. Together, these developments illustrate a year in which RA research increasingly aligned innovation with outcomes that matter across the full spectrum of patient health.

FDA News

FDA Approves Neuroimmune Modulation Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis

The FDA has approved SetPoint Medical’s SetPoint System, the first neuroimmune modulation device for rheumatoid arthritis, offering a novel implantable therapy that stimulates the vagus nerve to reduce inflammation without immune suppression. In the pivotal RESET-RA trial, the device significantly improved ACR20 response rates at 12 weeks, with benefits sustained through 12 months and a favorable safety profile.

Data Readouts

Rosnilimab Continues Best-in-Disease Profile Responses for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Updated 6-month data from the phase 2b RENOIR trial showed rosnilimab sustained strong efficacy in moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis, with durable responses and deepening disease activity improvements over time. The PD-1–targeting therapy demonstrated efficacy on par with JAK inhibitors but with a favorable safety profile and immune-restorative effects, supporting its potential as a long-term treatment option.

GLP-1 RA Use Improves Disease Activity, Cardiovascular Risk in Rheumatoid Arthritis

A retrospective study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and overweight or obesity found that GLP-1 receptor agonists were associated with improvements in disease activity, pain, and cardiometabolic risk factors. Compared with controls, patients receiving semaglutide or tirzepatide had greater reductions in RA activity scores, weight, cholesterol, HbA1c, and inflammatory markers, though discontinuation rates were notable due to gastrointestinal side effects and insurance issues.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Burden Has Surged Over Last 30 Years

A large AI-driven analysis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) trends across 953 global locations revealed a 13.2% rise in RA incidence since 1990, affecting 17.9 million people in 2021, with a shift toward younger populations. While age-standardized RA mortality dropped by 32.7% since 1980, global RA-related DALYs nearly doubled, highlighting an expanding burden despite medical advances. The study also pinpointed local hotspots—like West Berkshire, UK, with the highest incidence—and demonstrated that targeted interventions, such as smoking reduction, could substantially lower RA burden, emphasizing the importance of localized strategies beyond socioeconomic status alone.

Depression Reduces Remission Likelihood in Rheumatoid, Psoriatic Arthritis

New data from the tREACH and DEPAR cohorts suggest depressive symptoms within the first 2 years of diagnosis significantly reduce the likelihood of achieving remission in both rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis, while anxiety was not independently associated after adjustment. The findings reinforce depression as a modifiable, clinically relevant factor in inflammatory arthritis outcomes and highlight the importance of early mental health recognition alongside disease-directed treatment.

Early Control of Rheumatoid Arthritis Improves Hemostatic Imbalance

Effective antirheumatic therapy significantly improved procoagulant and fibrinolytic abnormalities in patients with newly diagnosed RA over 24 weeks, with biologics—particularly the IL-6 receptor inhibitor tocilizumab—showing the greatest normalization of hemostatic markers. The findings suggest early, targeted RA treatment may help mitigate elevated thrombosis risk, reinforcing the importance of controlling inflammation while balancing cardiovascular safety considerations.

References

1. Johnson V. FDA Approves Neuroimmune Modulation Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis. Article. HCPLive. August 14, 2025. https://www.hcplive.com/view/fda-approves-neuroimmune-modulation-therapy-for-rheumatoid-arthritis

2. Johnson V. Rosnilimab Continues Best-in-Disease Profile Responses for Rheumatoid Arthritis. Article. HCPLive. August 20, 2025. https://www.hcplive.com/view/rosnilimab-continues-best-in-disease-profile-responses-rheumatoid-arthritis

3. Brooks A. GLP-1 RA Use Improves Disease Activity, Cardiovascular Risk in Rheumatoid Arthritis. Article. HCPLive. September 16, 2025. https://www.hcplive.com/view/glp-1-ra-use-improves-disease-activity-cardiovascular-risk-rheumatoid-arthritis

4. Johnson V. Rheumatoid Arthritis Burden Has Surged Over Last 30 Years. Article. HCPLive. https://www.hcplive.com/view/rheumatoid-arthritis-burden-has-surged-over-last-30-years

5. Brooks A. Depression Reduces Remission Likelihood in Rheumatoid, Psoriatic Arthritis. Article. HCPLive. June 17, 2025. https://www.hcplive.com/view/depression-reduces-remission-likelihood-rheumatoid-psoriatic-arthritis

6. Johnson V. Early Control of Rheumatoid Arthritis Improves Hemostatic Imbalance. January 10, 2025. https://www.hcplive.com/view/early-control-rheumatoid-arthritis-improves-hemostatic-imbalance