MyoCon 2026 spotlights new myositis research and therapies

The Myositis Association will gather patients, clinicians and researchers in St. Louis Sept. 24-27 for MyoCon 2026, a global conference focused on new trial results, AI tools, cell therapies and a newly approved treatment for dermatomyositis. The meeting comes as the rare autoimmune disease field sees more drug development and deeper research into symptoms, biomarkers and care personalization.

Why it matters: - Myositis research is moving faster after years of limited treatment options. - A newly approved oral therapy for dermatomyositis and a growing pipeline of clinical trials are changing the treatment landscape. - The conference gives patients and families direct access to researchers and trial participants, which can help translate new science into real-world care.

What happened: - The Myositis Association will hold MyoCon 2026 from Sept. 24-27 in St. Louis. - The global patient conference will focus on new clinical trial results and emerging research in myositis. - The meeting is designed for people living with myositis, their families and experts studying the disease. - Paula Eichenbrenner, TMA executive director, said the conference will cover recent advances, current challenges and the experiences of people who have joined clinical trials.

The details: - Myositis is a group of autoimmune diseases marked by chronic muscle inflammation. - Common symptoms include pain, fatigue and trouble swallowing. - Sessions will examine the use of artificial intelligence in myositis and other rare diseases. - Latika Gupta, MD, and Jennifer Swisher, PA-C, will discuss AI’s promise and practical concerns. - A physician panel will cover CAR T-cell and CAR natural killer cell therapies for myositis. - The cell therapy session will also address risk-benefit tradeoffs, ongoing trials, combination approaches and possible future treatments. - A panel of clinical trial participants will discuss the realities of taking part in research. - Didem Saygin, MD, director of the myositis program at Rush Medical Center in Chicago, will discuss myositis-related pain, including possible causes and ways to measure it. - Julio Huapaya, MD, of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, will discuss how autoantibodies and blood biomarkers could help personalize care. - Julie Paik, MD, MHS, co-director of the Johns Hopkins Myositis Center, will cover trial design, how results are evaluated and recent findings. - The Johns Hopkins Myositis Center maintains a cohort of people with myositis that supports disease and treatment research. - TMA says the conference will also help the community understand the promise and challenges of emerging therapies. - Registration information is available here. - More information about The Myositis Association is available here.

Between the lines: - The conference agenda signals a field moving from broad awareness toward more targeted treatment strategies. - AI, biomarkers and cell therapies point to a push for more personalized care in a disease group that still lacks cures. - Patient testimony is being put on the same stage as lab and trial data, which suggests the conference is trying to balance scientific progress with lived experience.

What's next: - Researchers and clinicians will present the latest findings during the Sept. 24-27 meeting. - Trial participants and experts are expected to offer clues about where myositis research may head next. - The field will keep watching whether emerging therapies and precision-medicine tools can improve outcomes for patients with limited treatment options.

The bottom line: - MyoCon 2026 reflects a rare-disease field in transition, with new drugs, new technologies and new trial data reshaping myositis care.