In this article, the authors critically appraise the current model of opinion-based academia–industry interactions, and advocate for a realignment towards partnerships that foster innovation and knowledge.

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) can arise in a variety of connective tissue diseases (CTDs) and various treatment interventions are being explored. In 2020, advances in the treatment of CTD-associated ILD have included the re-evaluation of methotrexate-induced lung injury and emerging insights on anti-IL-6 therapy and anti-fibrotic therapy in this condition.

Interest in therapies for psoriatic arthritis (PsA) has increased in response to recognition that many patients remain undiagnosed and are inadequately treated. In 2020, advances in PsA treatments have included phase III trials of an IL-23 inhibitor, head-to-head trials of IL-17 inhibition against TNF inhibition and updated EULAR treatment guidelines.

The immunogenicity of a biologic agent can have clinical consequences in terms of response to therapy and risk of adverse events. In this Review, the authors summarize the latest data on the immunogenicity of biologic agents for various rheumatic indications.

In inflammatory arthritides, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), synovial cells acquire aggressive and disruptive phenotypes that lead to joint disease. Three studies published in 2020 have described phenotypic variation in synovial cells, offering a novel perspective on the potential to resolve pathology and augment treatment options for patients with RA.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors, which are used to treat many types of cancer, can cause syndromes similar to rheumatic diseases known as immune-related adverse events (irAEs). In 2020, several studies illustrated the clinical heterogeneity of rheumatic irAEs and highlighted their substantial effect on morbidity and mortality.