Patient description: The patient is a 41-year-old obese woman coming to the emergency room with abdominal pain and vomiting. The pain that started gradually yesterday is located in the epigastric and periumbilical regions, radiating to her back. She drinks alcohol frequently and does not smoke. She has no history of allergies and uses only multivitamins daily. Her family history is positive for hypertension (her mother). She lives with her husband and has 3 children. The abdomen is tender and soft. Her bowel sounds are normal. Her heart rate is 115/min and blood pressure 110/75 mmHg. The lab studies are remarkable for leukocytosis (19.5), urea of 8.5, high CRP (145), high amylase (1200) and Glucose level of 15. Her abdominal CT scan revealed acute edematous interstitial pancreatitis with enlarged common bile duct and intrahepatic duct confirming gall stone pancreatitis. Her pregnancy test is negative and she is not breastfeeding.

Clinical trial eligibility criteria: eligible ages (years): 18.0-75.0,  Dermatomyositis, Adult Type Must understand the risks and the benefits/purpose of the study and provide signed and dated informed consent Must be 18 years at time of signing the informed consent form Willing to participate in all required evaluations and procedures in the study including the ability to swallow pills without difficulty Patients must have a diagnosis of DM based upon the characteristic cutaneous findings proposed by Sontheimer[6] and/or a skin biopsy consistent with DM Patients must be candidate for systemic therapy for their DM skin disease defined by inadequate response to aggressive sun protection along with the use of potent topical corticosteroids and/or immunomodulators Patients with a diagnosis of dermatomyositis on steroid-sparing agent and/or systemic steroids (maximum dose of prednisone 1mg/Kg) and still having cutaneous disease activity of at least 5 on the CDASI scale If on immunosuppressive treatments and/or steroids, patients must be on stable doses for at least 4 weeks (28 days) Patients must undergo age appropriate cancer screening Females of childbearing potential (FCBP) must have a negative pregnancy test at screening (day 0 of the study and every month throughout the study). While on investigational product and for at least 28 days after taking the last dose of investigational product  Increasing or changing dose of topical therapy within 14 days of study day 0 (including but not limited to topical corticosteroids, tacrolimus, pimecrolimus) Increasing or changing systemic steroids dosing within 28 days of study day 0 Increasing or changing dosing for concurrent therapy agents within 28 days or 5 half-lives of the biologic agent, whichever is longer, before study day 0: methotrexate, azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil, hydroxychloroquine, dapsone, leflunomide, cyclosporine, biologic agents (anti-TNFs), IVIG, rituximab History of any clinically significant (as determined by the investigators) cardiac, endocrinologic, pulmonary, neurologic, psychiatric, hepatic, renal, hematologic, immunologic, or other major uncontrolled disease Any condition, including the presence of laboratory abnormalities, which places the patient at unacceptable risk if he/she were to participate in the study or confounds the ability to interpret data from the study Pregnant or breastfeeding Untreated Latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection or active tuberculosis infection as indicated by a positive Purified Protein Derivative (PPD) skin test or T-spot Any condition, including the presence of laboratory abnormalities that places the patient at unacceptable risk if he/she were to participate in the study or confounds the ability to interpret data from the study Patients with acute dermatomyositis onset and rapid progression of muscle disease or significant systemic involvement including pulmonary diseases associated with DM Prior major surgery or major life-threatening medical illness within 2 weeks