Author Archives: Patricia Inacio, PhD

Dosing begins in Phase 1 trial of VENT-03, potential cGAS inhibitor

A first person has been dosed in a Phase 1 clinical trial of VENT-03, Ventus Therapeutics’ oral treatment candidate for lupus and other inflammatory diseases. VENT-03 is an inhibitor of cGAS, a protein whose activation has been implicated in lupus and other autoimmune diseases. “cGAS has historically proven an…

Trial will test AlloNK for SLE patients with lupus nephritis

AlloNK, an off-the-shelf experimental natural killer (NK) cell therapy being developed by Artiva Biotherapeutics, soon will enter clinical testing, in combination with rituximab, for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with active lupus nephritis. This follows the approval of the company’s investigational new drug application by the U.S.

5 young scientists win Lupus Foundation of America support

The Lupus Foundation of America has announced this year’s winners of the Gina M. Finzi Memorial Student Summer Fellowship Program, designed to support students working in lupus research. Each award, worth $4,000, includes mentorship by an experienced researcher in the field of lupus. Winners, all young scientists, are pursuing…

Germany approves Phase 1/2 trial of KYV-101 for lupus nephritis

Kyverna Therapeutics is planning to launch a Phase 1/2 trial in Germany to test KYV-101, its investigational cell therapy for lupus nephritis, a lupus complication characterized by kidney damage. The study was approved by the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI), which is responsible for examining clinical trials of investigational…

First patient enrolled in Phase 1 trial of KYV-101 CAR-T cell therapy

The first patient has been enrolled in a Phase 1 clinical trial testing KYV-101, Kyverna Therapeutics’ candidate cell therapy for refractory lupus nephritis, a serious lupus complication characterized by kidney damage and inflammation. The open-label trial, which follows FDA’s green light in November, is actively recruiting nine to…

Phase 1 trial testing CAR T-cell therapy GC012F in SLE launches

Gracell Biotechnologies announced the launch of a Phase 1 clinical trial in China testing GC012F, its experimental dual FastCAR T-cell therapy, for hard-to-treat systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The investigator-initiated trial (NCT05846347), underway at The First Affiliated Hospital of the Zhejiang University College of Medicine, is recruiting adults ages…

SLE patients carry unique mix of tongue bacteria: Study

People with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have a unique mix of bacteria on their tongue compared with healthy people, according to a Chinese study. Bacteria diversity correlated with disease activity, but also with recovery after treatment. The findings suggest oral bacteria “may be a therapeutic target for exploring new…

Saphnelo linked to reaching low disease activity status in SLE

Adding Saphnelo (anifrolumab-fnia) to standard therapy in people with moderate to severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is linked to reaching a state of low disease activity faster and more frequently, according to an analysis of data from two Phase 3 clinical trials. This low disease activity state was sustained for…