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…
Hardening of the kidney arteries, a condition called renal arteriosclerosis, is detected two decades earlier in people with lupus nephritis compared with healthy individuals, a study shows. The study, “High Burden of Premature Arteriosclerosis on Renal Biopsies in Incident Lupus Nephritis,” was published in the journal…
AMPEL BioSolutions is seeking $12.5 million in funding to market LuGene, a personalized blood test that uses genetic information from a patient to predict treatment response and lupus flares. The company has initiated a Series A round of financing, which refers to the first significant step…
Two comprehensive tools can reliably measure changes in disease activity in people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a new study suggests. The findings support the use of these instruments — the SELENA SLEDAI Physician’s Global Assessment, known as the SSPGA, and the Lupus Foundation of America-Rapid Evaluation of Activity…
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…