Bridging the Gap in Seronegative Rheumatoid Arthritis: Unlocking the Diagnostic and Prognostic Potential of RA33 Autoantibodies

Seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (SN RA) poses significant diagnostic and management challenges due to the lack of conventional biomarkers such as rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-CCP antibodies, complicating timely and accurate diagnosis.

This webinar explores the emerging diagnostic and prognostic value of anti-RA33 autoantibodies (IgG, IgA and IgM) as novel biomarkers, capable of bridging the critical gap in SN RA clinical practice. Through a comprehensive review of existing diagnostic methods and their limitations, participants will understand why innovative biomarkers are urgently needed.

The expert speakers will delve into the historical discovery and usage of RA33 autoantibodies, integrating the latest research evidence demonstrating their effectiveness in clinical practice. Real-world clinical case examples will highlight how incorporating RA33 biomarkers enhances diagnostic accuracy, improves prognosis assessments and ultimately leads to better patient outcomes.

Join this webinar to discover how RA33 biomarkers are transforming clinical decision-making for patients with SN RA.

Speakers

Dr. Alvin F. Wells, MD, PhD, FACP, FACR, Director of Rheumatology, American Medical Group

Dr. Alvin Wells is currently a practicing rheumatologist and the Director of Rheumatology for the American Medical Group in Destin, FL. He is the immediate past Midwest Region Director, Department of Rheumatology for the Advocate Health Medical Group in Franklin, Wisconsin. He is an Assistant Clinical Professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

He also maintains his clinical affiliation with Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC, where he is an Adjunct Assistant Professor. Prior to returning to private practice, Dr. Wells was an Associate Medical Director at Abbott Laboratories where he played a central role in the launch of HUMIRA.

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Dr. Wells received his MD from the University of South Florida, Tampa, and trained in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology at Duke University, where he was a faculty member before joining Abbott. He received his PhD in Immunology from the University of South Carolina, where he developed an animal model for Reiter’s Syndrome. He was a recipient of the prestigious Fogarty Biomedical Research Award from the National Institutes of Health, which allowed him to undertake a 2-year postdoctoral fellowship at Uppsala University, Sweden, with Dr. Lars Klareskog.

A member of the American Telemedicine Association and of the American College of Rheumatology, Dr. Wells has over 25 years of research experience, focusing on chronic inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis, with an emphasis on connective tissue components, inflammatory mediators, and cytokines. He is the recipient of the 2019 Outstanding Teaching Award from the Medical College of Wisconsin and Ascension St Joseph Hospital.  He is the recipient of the 2003 Abbott President’s Award. In 2001, he was honored with the Merck Young Investigator Award, and in 1999 he received the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Distinguished Alumni Award.

Dr. Wells is fluent in Swedish and is an internationally renowned speaker and researcher and has had research support from the Arthritis Foundation and from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

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Tyler O’Malley, VP of Clinical Affairs, Bioinformatics and Market Access, Exagen Inc.

Tyler O’Malley serves as VP of Clinical Affairs, Bioinformatics and Market Access at Exagen Inc., a leader in autoimmune testing solutions. In his role, he oversees clinical trials, bioinformatics and medical policy development for Exagen’s current diagnostic portfolio and pipeline of proprietary solutions.

With more than a decade of experience, O’Malley has contributed to more than a dozen clinical trials, focusing on clinical validity and utility evidence for autoimmune diagnostics. His expertise is widely recognized, with numerous publications in esteemed peer-reviewed journals. Notably, he is the first author of one of the largest clinical utility studies in lupus diagnostics.

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O’Malley graduated summa cum laude from Georgia Gwinnett College with a Bachelor of Science in biology, concentrating in biochemistry. His eleven-year career in Research and Development and Medical Affairs encompasses medical science education, assay development and clinical research coordination.

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