A single infusion of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) — those that make cells of the cartilage, bone, and fat — decreased the number of auto-reactive immune cells in difficult-to-treat systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, a Phase 1 trial reports. A Phase 2 study of this treatment is now opening in the…
Completion of a second round of funding could help bring closer to market Progentec Diagnostics‘ new tool for predicting lupus flares and a biomarker-based index that monitors underlying disease activity. Funding for Progentec’s biomarker-based diagnostic testing was led by venture capital outfits i2E and OCA Ventures, with…
Researchers from the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research have developed a bioelectronic device that is effective at reducing pain and fatigue in people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The device is external and, unlike other bioelectronic devices, does not require surgical implantation. It works by sending electrical signals through…
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients who volunteer for phone counseling with other lupus patients also benefit significantly from the experience, reporting reduced isolation and an increased ability to cope with their own disease, a study found. The study, “The Effect and Psychosocial Impact of a Longstanding Telephone…
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with highly active disease responded well to treatment with atacicept at 150 mg each week — especially those on continuous treatment for about one year, results from a Phase 2b study and its long-term extension show. The findings were revealed at the American College…
The immunosuppressant leflunomide appears to be as effective as azathioprine in maintaining remission and delaying disease relapse in people with lupus nephritis, a clinical trial in more than 200 patients in China showed. The study’s results were recently presented at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2018 Annual Meeting in Chicago, detailed…
Nitro-fatty acids — a type of fatty molecule naturally produced in the body — could act as natural inhibitors of the stimulator of IFN genes (STING), a protein involved in inflammatory diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to a study. The study, “Nitro-fatty acids are formed in…
One year of treatment with ustekinumab led to sustained reductions in disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, according to a Phase 2 trial. These benefits were also observed in patients who switched from placebo to Janssen‘s therapy at week 24. Trial findings were presented in the study, “…
Corticosteroids and hydroxychloroquine are the most common medications used by patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or lupus nephritis (LN), according to a real-world study, which also found very limited use of biologics. The study, “Real World Medication Use in Incident Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and…
Immugenyx, a subsidiary of Hemogenyx Pharmaceuticals, has partnered with Janssen Research & Development, one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson Innovation, to develop a new humanized mouse model for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The collaboration was announced by Hemogenyx, a biopharmaceutical company devoted…