Highlights from ACG 2019

This week, APFED was onsite at the American College of Gastroenterology’s 84th Annual Scientific Meeting and Postgraduate Course (ACG 2019) where attendees from around the world gathered to learn the latest scientific advances in gastrointestinal research and treatment of digestive diseases.

APFED had a table in the exhibit hall to offer clinicians professional resources to increase their understanding of the latest in diagnostics and treatments of these conditions, as well as educational material to share with their patients.

There were several exciting research posters presented throughout the meeting, including three in which APFED co-authored:

• • “Unmet Need for Additional Resources to Support Successful Transition of Care from Pediatric to Adult Providers for the Management of Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Diseases,” presented by Gary Falk, MD, University of Pennsylvania
  • “Shared Decision Making in Eosinophilic Esophagitis Is Associated With Treatment Satisfaction but Is Inadequately Practiced,” presented by Joy W. Chang, MD, University of Michigan Medical Center
  • “Elucidation of Patient Motivators and Barriers to Pursuing Treatments for Eosinophilic Esophagitis,” presented by Joy W. Chang, MD, University of Michigan Medical Center

Other highlights from the meeting that are of interest to our community:

• Evan Dellon, MD, from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, gave a lecture titled, “New Concepts in the Treatment of Eosinophilic” in which he reviewed updates in the epidemiology, nomenclature, diagnostic processes, and management of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE).
• Ikuo Hirano, MD, from Northwestern University in Chicago, presented data from the phase 3 trial of oral budesonide suspension (OBS) for the treatment of EoE. The study demonstrated its efficacy end points of symptom improvement and histologic efficacy.
  Read the press release from Takeda, the company investigating OBS for EoE.
  See below for a related interview with Dr. Hirano from MD Mag.
• A session titled “Eosinophilic Esophagitis: Key Updates and Optimal Management” featured speakers Calies D. Menard-Katcher, MD (Children’s Hospital Colorado), who described the epidemiology and clinical presentation of pediatric EoE and discussed the transition of patients from pediatric to adult care; Nicholas J. Shaheen, MD (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), who discussed current diagnostic guidelines; and Kristle L. Lynch, MD (Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania), who talked about the standard of care and emerging therapies.
• Evan Dellon, MD, from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, presented a late-breaking abstract from a phase 2 trial of a potential therapy known as AK002 for eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases. Allakos, the company developing this therapy is planning to initiate a Phase 3 study in EG and EGE and a Phase 2/3 study in EOE in 2020.
  See below for a related interview with Dr. Dellon from MD Mag.

The next annual meeting of ACG will take place Oct. 23-28 in Nashville, TN.