Marisa Wexler, MS,  —

Marisa holds an MS in Cellular and Molecular Pathology from the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied novel genetic drivers of ovarian cancer. She specializes in cancer biology, immunology, and genetics. Marisa began working with BioNews in 2018, and has written about science and health for SelfHacked and the Genetics Society of America. She also writes/composes musicals and coaches the University of Pittsburgh fencing club.

Articles by Marisa Wexler

FDA approves Gazyva as lupus nephritis treatment

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Gazyva (obinutuzumab) as an add-on treatment for adults with lupus nephritis, a form of lupus marked by kidney damage. “The approval of Gazyva by the FDA marks an important step towards a potential new standard of care for…

Cell therapy ADI-001 reduces disease activity in lupus patients

A single infusion of the experimental cell therapy ADI-001 led to reductions in disease activity for seven lupus patients in a clinical trial, according to preliminary data announced by its developer Adicet Bio. No serious side effects reported. “These preliminary results reinforce our belief that ADI-001 has the…

Trial testing under-the-skin Saphnelo in SLE hits main goal

A self-administered, under-the-skin injection version of AstraZeneca’s Saphnelo (anifrolumab-fnia) was effective for reducing disease severity in adults with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to results from an interim analysis of a Phase 3 clinical trial. “Today’s news takes us one step closer in making the clinically meaningful…

Cell therapy SC291 gets FDA fast track designation for SLE

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted fast track designation to experimental cell therapy SC291 as a potential treatment for hard-to-manage systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Fast track status is given to therapies that have the potential to improve care for serious diseases, with the goal of…

FDA puts CAR T-cell therapy ADI-001 on fast track

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted fast track designation to CAR T-cell therapy ADI-001 as a potential treatment for lupus nephritis, a lupus complication marked by kidney damage and inflammation. The FDA gives fast track status to experimental treatments that have the potential to fill unmet…

Lupus consortium partners with FDA on cell therapies

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) is joining the Lupus Accelerating Breakthroughs Consortium (Lupus ABC) to focus on CAR T-cell treatments and other engineered cell therapies, a promising new therapeutic field now being explored for lupus. “We are delighted to have…

Itolizumab reduces urine protein levels in Phase 1B clinical trial

Treatment with the investigational injection therapy itolizumab significantly reduced urine protein levels, a marker of kidney dysfunction, in people with active lupus nephritis, a serious lupus complication marked by kidney damage and inflammation. That’s according to top-line results from a Phase 1b trial called EQUALISE (NCT04128579) that were…