Excessive production of type I interferon (IFN-I) — a molecule that mediates immune and inflammatory responses — in people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may be caused by small fragments of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) that are released upon damage, a study suggested. The study, “VDAC oligomers…
BioMed X and Merck are establishing a combined research group that will focus on the role of the gut epithelial barrier in the development and progression of autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and multiple sclerosis. This new group will extend the companies’ continuing partnership to…
Exposure to dust and having post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York are associated with an increased risk of developing autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, a study reports. This finding highlights the need for better monitoring of the…
Using glucocorticoids to treat inflammation in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was associated with organ damage in patients without active disease, a large study found. These findings draw attention to the possible harmful effects of glucocorticoids — a type of corticosteroid hormone —…
Culminating more than a year of advocacy by the Lupus Foundation of America and others, President Donald Trump has signed into law provisions for nearly $19 million in new funding for lupus research and education. The funding bills, which included $41.7 billion for the National Institutes of…
Adding Benlysta (belimumab) to standard therapy increased the percentage of people with active lupus nephritis who experienced improved renal function in a Phase 3 trial. The BLISS-LN study (NCT01639339) was designed to evaluate Benlysta’s safety and efficacy in people with active lupus nephritis, a common and…
Physical and emotional abuse during childhood may increase the risk of developing systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) later in life, a new study has found. The study, “Association of Childhood Abuse with Incident Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Adulthood in a Longitudinal Cohort of Women,” was published in …
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…
Fatigue has a major impact on quality of life in people with systemic lupus erythematosus, and measuring it using a patient-reported tool may prove useful in clinical trials, new research shows. The findings were presented at the recent 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Association for Rheumatology Professionals Annual Meeting…
This year’s Lupus Research Alliance (LRA) Breaking Through Gala, billed as the world’s largest single lupus fundraising event, took in $3 million for research into the autoimmune disorder. Some 600 members of the global lupus community turned out for the Nov. 25 New York City affair that celebrates…