Biogen’s experimental therapy litifilimab, also called BIIB059, significantly reduced skin disease activity in adults with cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE), according to data from part B of the Phase 2 LILAC trial. CLE is a type of lupus that’s also known as skin lupus. As its name suggests, skin…
The strongest genetic risk factor of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), HLA-DRB1*03:01, generates an abnormal protein that, in the presence of the pro-inflammatory interferon gamma (IFN-gamma), activates SLE-related genes and triggers SLE-characteristic cellular, tissue, and immune abnormalities. These are the findings of a new study in lab-grown human and mouse immune cells,…
Thermo Fisher Scientific has received regulatory authorization in the U.S. to market its EliA Rib-P blood test, designed to improve the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), particularly in patients without hallmark antinuclear antibodies (ANAs). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared the new antibody test, along with…
The Lupus Research Alliance (LRA) has awarded a total of $2.1 million to five research projects from underrepresented minority scientists focused on the development of tests and treatments for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). “We congratulate the inaugural recipients of our Diversity in Lupus Research Awards and look forward to…
Lupus Therapeutics, an affiliate of the Lupus Research Alliance (LRA), announced that it is working to design and run a clinical trial into whether hydroxychloroquine and other therapies for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can prevent or ease symptoms of COVID-19 in SLE patients. “This initiative is being done in…
Enzo Biochem’s investigational compound SK1‑I lessened autoimmune and inflammatory responses, including in the kidney, in a mouse model of systemic lupus erythematosus lupus (SLE). SK1-I was beneficial when given to mice not only before but also after disease onset, providing evidence that it may be a potential effective…
Upper limb exercise lowers pain and improves hand function, daily activity performance, and quality of life in people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to a pilot clinical trial. The trial’s results, “The impact of upper limb exercise on function, daily activities and quality of life in…
DNA vaccination with heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) eased inflammation, boosted immune regulation, delayed kidney disease and prolonged life in a mouse model of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a study found. While vaccination with HSPs — stress-induced proteins involved in protein regulation and immune response — has…
Pregnancy is not associated with increased chronic damage in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), regardless of when they’re diagnosed with the autoimmune disease, according to a Japanese study. While these findings may help alleviate fears about childbearing for these women, an SLE diagnosis does put them at…
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted fast track designation to itolizumab as a potential therapy for lupus nephritis, a common and serious complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that can lead to kidney failure. This designation is given to compounds that show considerable potential in treating serious conditions for which…