News

DNA methylation Linked to Autoantibody Production in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

In a new study entitled “Genome-Wide Assessment of Differential DNA Methylation Associated with Autoantibody Production in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus” researchers identified that epigenetic modifications in the DNA, specifically DNA methylation, is associated with autoantibody production in systemic lupus erythematosus. The study was published in the open-access journal…

Benlysta May Reduce Organ Damage Risk in Lupus Patients

In a recent study presented during the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Annual European Congress of Rheumatology, patients suffering from moderate-to-severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who have been treated with Benlysta have a low incidence of organ damage. SLE, commonly referred to as lupus, is a severe autoimmune disease in which…

Mood Disorder Is A Frequent Event in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients

The second most common experience of patients with newly onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was found to be mood disorders, with roughly one third of the occurrences related to the disease. The finding came from a recent study led by John Hanly and presented during the European League Against Rheumatism Annual European Congress of Rheumatology…

Researcher’s Find Subset of Plasma Cells May Lead to Better Vaccine Technology

A multidisciplinary team of researchers from Emory University have recently released results from a study that could advance treatment options for autoimmune diseases such as lupus erythematosus (Lupus) or rheumatoid arthritis, by better defining the cells that produce auto-reactive antibodies. The study, entitled, “Long-Lived Plasma Cells…

Chinese Researchers Test Promising Lupus Drug

The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) recently announced that Chinese investigators are going to test a new drug agent for treating lupus in upcoming clinical trials. The compound called SM934, is a water-soluble artemisinin derivative that has already been approved by the China Food and Drug Administration. According to the CAS, over the last…

Study to Evaluate ADCETRIS For Lupus Treatment Launched by Seattle Genetics

Seattle Genetics, Inc., a biotechnology company that specializes in the development and commercialization of novel antibody-based therapies for the treatment of cancer, has officially begun a Phase II clinical study designed to test ADCETRIS (brentuximab vedotin) as a treatment for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This drug candidate is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that…