AMPEL BioSolutions is seeking $12.5 million in funding to market LuGene, a personalized blood test that uses genetic information from a patient to predict treatment response and lupus flares. The company has initiated a Series A round of financing, which refers to the first significant step…
BioMed X and Merck are establishing a combined research group that will focus on the role of the gut epithelial barrier in the development and progression of autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and multiple sclerosis. This new group will extend the companies’ continuing partnership to…
Higher expression of nine genes may help identify people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who will respond to treatment with Stelara (ustekinumab) — an approved therapy in inflammatory disorders but not in SLE. At the 2019 American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/Association for Rheumatology Health Professionals (ARHP) Annual Meeting,…
Systemic lupus erythematous patients with antibodies against the protein LINE-1 p40 are more likely to have active and severe disease, a study shows. Since the presence of antibodies against p40 likely represents an early immune response, testing for it may help diagnose the disease earlier on, researchers…
A treatment regimen that maximizes the use of hydroxychloroquine, pulse methyl-prednisolone, and methotrexate — while reducing doses of oral prednisone — leads to better outcomes, including prolonged clinical remission, among people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a study suggests. The study, “Prolonged remission in SLE…
How clinical trials into lupus nephritis define their requirements for patient eligibility are too strict, leaving many people with active and severe disease ineligible for participation, according to a study that looked at six lupus trials and how well their “inclusion and exclusion criteria” matched patients in a large U.K.
Rituxan (rituximab) can be effective as maintenance therapy for difficult-to-treat patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, allowing them to cut their use of corticosteroids and immunosuppressive agents, a new study says. However, relapses continue to occur frequently, mostly in patients with active joint disease. The study, “Rituximab…
The three largest minority groups in the United States — blacks, Asians/Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics — are significantly more likely to experience severe manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus than Caucasians, a new study shows. The study, “Racial/Ethnic Differences in Prevalence of and Time to Onset of SLE Manifestations: The…
Systemic lupus erythematosus patients who experienced childhood adversity, such as abuse, neglect, and household challenges, report worse overall health, depression, and higher disease activity, a new study shows. The study, “Relationships Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Health Status in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus,” was published in the journal Arthritis…
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients are a higher risk for severe herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection, but younger age seems to be a protective factor, a study from Taiwan suggests. The research also highlights that adults (patients older than 18 ), those with a history of herpes infection, those who…