News

Zetomipzomib as Add-on Therapy Lowers Kidney Inflammation: Data

When given on top of standard therapy, zetomipzomib led to clinically significant reductions in urine protein levels, a marker of kidney impairment, in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with active lupus nephritis, a severe form of lupus that causes kidney damage. That’s according to full data from the now…

Program Seeks to Boost Minority Participation in Clinical Trials

To help dermatologists and nephrologists understand the importance of minority participation in lupus clinical trials and why such participation is lacking, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) is announcing new continuing medical education (CME) offerings. Specifically, the new CME provides the specialists with information about racial disparities in…

CAR T-cell Therapy Drives Disease Remission for 5 SLE Patients

A CAR T-cell therapy targeting disease-driving immune cells safely led to sustained disease remission for five people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who’d previously failed to respond to other treatments, a recent study reported. Treatment was also highly specific, preventing autoimmune activity, but didn’t impair general immune system…

Kyverna Asks FDA to Begin Clinical Test on Lupus Nephritis Treatment

Kyverna Therapeutics has submitted an investigational new drug (IND) application asking regulators for permission to begin clinical testing on KYV-101, an experimental cell therapy for lupus nephritis — a severe manifestation of lupus that causes kidney damage. The company is actively working with sites in the U.S. and…

2 Machine Learning Models Found to Predict Hospitalization in SLE

Using clinical data collected over time, two machine learning computer models were found to accurately predict inpatient hospitalization due to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) — the most common form of lupus. One method was most accurate in using short-term clinical assessment data to foretell future hospitalizations, while the other…

First Skin Lupus Patient Dosed in Phase 2/3 Trial of Litifilimab

The first participant has been dosed in a pivotal Phase 2/3 trial testing Biogen’s anti-inflammatory medication litifilimab (BIIB059) in people with cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE), the company announced. The study, called AMETHYST (NCT05531565), is recruiting adults with CLE, whose disease is active despite standard antimalarial treatment, at…

Itolizumab Shows Promise For Lupus Nephritis Patients in Early Trial Data

Equillium’s investigational antibody-based treatment, itolizumab (EQ001), led to significant reductions in urine protein levels — a marker of kidney dysfunction — in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with active lupus nephritis, according to an interim analysis from the type B portion of the Phase 1b EQUALISE clinical trial.

Treatments for Lupus May Reduce Response to COVID-19 Vaccination

Antibodies mounted against COVID-19 in the three to six months following vaccination were lower in patients undergoing treatment for lupus than in healthy people, a study has found. Patients with untreated lupus (also called systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE) showed a similar level of antibodies as healthy people. Fewer…

Telitacicept Reduces SLE Severity in Phase 3 Trial in China

Telitacicept, a B-cell-targeting therapy developed by RemeGen, outperformed a placebo at reducing the severity of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a Phase 3 clinical trial in China, the company announced. “We are delighted with the news of the preliminary results of the Phase III confirmatory study of our proprietary…

European Commission OKs Lupkynis for Active Lupus Nephritis

The European Commission has approved Lupkynis (voclosporin) to treat active lupus nephritis, a serious complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that is characterized by kidney inflammation. The approval is valid in all European Union (EU) member states, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Northern Ireland. Lupkynis received a similar…