I’ve been wanting to talk about this subject for a while now, but it’s so complex a topic that I didn’t even know where to start. Hell, I hate ’em and love ’em all in the same instance, but they are a necessary evil in my life. You…
Anthera Pharmaceuticals announced that William Shanahan, MD, has been appointed its chief medical officer, with responsibilities that include advancing a potential treatment for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) now in a Phase 3 clinical study. Shanahan, a rheumatologist, brings to the company years of experience in drug development, and will lead the analysis of results…
The Lupus Research Alliance welcomed the report, by Aurinia Pharmaceuticals, of positive top-line results in its Phase 2 clinical trial results of voclosporin, an investigational treatment for lupus nephritis (LN). The group, however, is awaiting further analysis of findings, especially those addressing potential safety concerns. Lupus nephritis (LN) is a…
In a recent published article, the president and chief executive officer of Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) Sandra C. Raymond discussed important aspects of lupus mortality. “Over the years, pioneering physicians, using therapies borrowed from other diseases, have painstakingly developed treatment regimens that have helped to reduce mortality associated with…
Many studies have established that patients with autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), multiple sclerosis (MS), Sjögren’s syndrome, and systemic lupus erythomatosus (SLE) have an increased risk for developing another autoimmune disease, but why this happens is still not fully understood. In a recent news report that presented data from multiple studies addressing the…
Improper clearing of dying cells and elevated levels of RNA and DNA in serum are connected to increased chronic inflammation in autoimmune diseases. In a recent study, researchers at Duke University showed that scavenger molecules that feed on the nucleic acids not only reduce chronic inflammation in mice with lupus, but also…
Results from two Phase 3 trials revealed that patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can benefit from the recombinant human monoclonal antibody Benlysta (belimumab) when it is used with steroids. The study, “Impact of concomitant medication use on belimumab efficacy and safety in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus,”…
Aurinia Pharmaceuticals recently announced positive top-line results from the voclosporin Phase 2b clinical trial AURA-LV (AURA) in patients with active lupus nephritis (LN) after achieving its primary endpoint. Voclosporin is an investigational immunosuppressant with a synergistic and dual mechanism of action that can potentially improve near- and long-term outcomes…
It started off as my dream place to live… an “if I could live anywhere” kind of place. We vacationed in the Redwood Forest for three years before the opportunity to move up here presented itself. It was an escape from life where I could slow down a bit, especially with lupus. The…
XTL Biopharmaceuticals has filed a new U.S. patent application to protect doses of hCDR1 lower than 0.5 mg per week to treat systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). XTL is a clinical-stage biotech that develops products for the treatment of autoimmune diseases like lupus. The company’s lead drug candidate, hCDR1 has…