APFED was onsite at the American College of Gastroenterology’s (ACG) Annual Scientific Meeting and Postgraduate Course which took place in Charlotte, NC, Oct. 21-26. 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 with 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.

Pictured right: APFED executive director (center) with team members from Ellodi Pharmaceuticals. Ellodi is developing APT-1011, and investigational drug designed to deliver  fluticasone propionate to the esophageal mucosa as a potential therapy for EoE. 
Pictured left: APFED had a booth in the exhibit hall to provide clinicians with patient-friendly information about eosinophil-associated diseases and professional resources. 

Below are a few highlights from research abstracts presented at the meeting.

• Results from KRYPTOS, a Phase 2/3 Study of Lirentelimab (AK002) in Adults and Adolescents With EoE was presented. While lirentelimab was effective in safely reducing histologic disease activity in most patients, but especially adolescents, with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), it did not meet the Dysphagia Symptom Questionnaire symptom co-primary endpoint, although in adolescents there was a trend in DSQ response over placebo. Learn more.
• A poster that APFED co-authored, entitled “High Burden of Disease and Associated Costs for Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Diseases: Results From an Online Patient-Centered Research Network” was presented. The findings showed that patients with non-EoE EGIDs experience high healthcare burdens, frequent medical care (average of 1 heath care encounter/month) and significant out-pocket costs (averaging $1,000/year). Learn more.
• Dr. Evan Dellon from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill presented an oral abstract entitled “Dupilumab Improves Clinical, Symptomatic, Histologic, and Endoscopic Aspects of EoE up to 24 Weeks: Pooled Results From Parts A and B of Phase 3 LIBERTY-EoE-TREET.” It was noted, “The findings were that the pooled efficacy and safety data for parts A and B of the phase 3 trial of Dupilumab are consistent with the results of the individual parts of the study that were previously reported, and which led to the drug being approved for EoE.” Learn more.
• Dr. Amrit K. Kamboj from Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN presented a plenary session entitled, “Development and Validation of a Clinical Tool to Identify Patients Who Do Not Need Biopsies When Eosinophilic Esophagitis Is Suspected” describing work to develop and then validate a predictive model that accurately identifies patients with “a low likelihood of EoE where unnecessary biopsies can be avoided, potentially resulting in cost and time savings, and lower risk.” Learn more.
• A poster entitled “Hospitalization Outcomes and Racial Disparities in Eosinophilic Esophagitis Patients: An Analysis of the National Inpatient Sample Data from 2016 to 2019” was presented. The findings indicated that “patients from African American descent admitted [into the hospital] with EoE appear to have similar mortality as compared to white patients but higher morbidity in the form of longer [length of stay] and longer time to EGD.” Learn more.

Other research abstract titles of interest are below. You may access the poster presentations here.

• • Esophageal Cytology Collection Device for Assessment of Esophageal Eosinophilia in Eosinophilic Esophagitis: Real World Experience
  • Co-Localization of Immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) and Milk Proteins Is Associated With Eosinophilic Esophagitis Disease Activity\
  • Dupilumab Reduces the Emotional and Dysphagia-Related Impacts of Eosinophilic Esophagitis to Improve Health-Related Quality of Life
  • Health Care Resource Utilization and Costs Among Eosinophilic Esophagitis Patients in the United States
  • Opportunities for Virtual Care in Eosinophilic Esophagitis: Real-World Dietary Therapy Practice
  • Esophageal Cytology Collection Device for Assessment of Esophageal Eosinophilia in Eosinophilic Esophagitis: Real World Experience
  • The Epidemiology of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Eosinophilic Esophagitis in the United States: Results From a Population-Based National Study
  • Physician-Documented Symptoms and Treatment Among Patients With Eosinophilic Esophagitis in the United States: Evidence From Real World Clinical Practice
    Characteristics of and Healthcare Cost Drivers Among U.S. Patients With Eosinophilic Esophagitis With High versus Non-High All-Cause Costs: An Analysis of Insurance Claims Data
  • Provider Beliefs, Practices, and Perceived Barriers to Dietary Elimination Therapy in Eosinophilic Esophagitis
  • Burden of Eosinophilic Esophagitis 2016-2019: NIS-Based Retrospective Analysis
  • A Retrospective Study on the Geographic Trends of Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) in the United States
  • Examining the Diagnostic Pattern of Eosinophilic Esophagitis Among Medicaid Enrollees in the Deep South U.S.
  • Prevalence of Eosinophilic Esophagitis in Hispanic Children and Young Adults in South Florida
  • Diagnostic Delay and Misdiagnosis of Non-Esophageal Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Diseases
  • Effect of Proton Pump Inhibitor Treatment in “PPI Non-Responsive” Patients With Eosinophilic Esophagitis
  • The Eosinophilic Esophagitis Patient With Multiple Atopic Conditions: Clinical Characteristics and Treatment Response to Topical Steroids
  • High Burden of Disease and Associated Costs for Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Diseases: Results From an Online Patient-Centered Research Network
  • Clinical Features and Treatment Response to Topical Steroids in Ethnic and Racial Minority Patients With Eosinophilic Esophagitis
  • Nationwide Seasonal Variation in Food Impaction in Patients with Eosinophilic Esophagitis\
  • A Real World Study of Cumulative Steroid Burden in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Eosinophilic Esophagitis
  • 10-Year Epidemiological Trends of Eosinophilic Gastritis and Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis
  • Gene Expression and Pathway Analyses Reveal Distinctions Between Eosinophilic Esophagitis Pre and Post Treatment With Glucocorticoids
  • Long-Term Follow-Up of Esophageal Strictures in Eosinophilic Esophagitis Using Structured Esophagram Protocol
  • Markedly Increased Prevalence of Eosinophilic Esophagitis in Patients With Atopic Diseases in a U.S. Veteran Population
  • Clinicopathological Features and Gastric Motor Functions in Patients With Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis: A Retrospective Single Center Audit