Organs affected by autoimmune disease might be able to suppress T-cell function in a manner that is similar to tumors, actively preventing them from causing damage, a study in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) shows. The findings, however, suggest that cancer immunotherapies that work to reactivate the immune system could have…
Xencor announced top-line results from its Phase 2 clinical trial testing the candidate antibody therapy XmAb5871 for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The antibody seems to help control or reduce lupus disease activity after patients have been…
People with childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE) develop significant disease-associated damage early in life and have lower quality of life in their adulthood, without achieving medication-free remission, according to a recent Dutch study. The study, “Long‐term clinical outcomes in a cohort of adults with childhood‐onset Systemic Lupus…
Aurinia Pharmaceuticals has completed patient enrollment for its Phase 3 trial that will assess the potential of voclosporin as an add-on to standard treatment regimens in patients with lupus nephritis, the company announced. The enrollment phase was finished ahead of schedule and exceeded expectations, recruiting more participants…
Rates of both ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are affected by the racial and ethnic background of patients, a U.S. study reports, which may help to better identify people most at risk and aid in prevention. Specifically, the study found that black SLE…
Black Africans often have distinct variants of systemic lupus erythematosus compared to white patients, but conventional diagnostic tests can’t detect these variants, say researchers from Scotland’s University of Edinburgh and collaborators from Zimbabwe. Their findings point up the urgency of including specific tests to identify these disease variants, improving…
Ustekinumab as an add-on to standard of care was seen to significantly increase the number of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with a reduction in disease activity compared to standard of care alone, results from a Phase 2 trial show. Patients were also less likely to experience a disease flare…
The activity of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is persistently high in a large proportion of patients, despite high rates of steroids and immunosuppressants use, according to a five-year study. The findings indicate gaps in effectiveness of current SLE treatments, new research has found. The research, “Persistent Disease…
To help address disparities in the research and care of adolescents with lupus, the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) has awarded Mercy College a three-year, $600,000 research grant. Titled “Adolescents with Lupus: The Impact of Patient/Provider Discordance, Depression, Cognition and Language,” the…
Patients with lupus nephritis — a lupus-associated type of kidney inflammation — can sometimes develop a rare immune disorder, called thrombotic microangiopathy, as a consequence of excessive activation of the complement system. Using Soliris (eculizumab) to prevent over-activation is an effective way of treating these patients, a study found. Outcomes in 11…