Using Benlysta (belimumab) as a maintenance therapy after Rituxan (rituximab) leads to similar kidney function in patients with lupus nephritis compared with Rituxan alone, according to a Phase 2 clinical trial. The research, “Phase 2 Trial of Induction Therapy with Anti-CD20 (Rituximab) Followed By Maintenance Therapy with Anti-BAFF…
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SERPINA3 — a protein involved in inflammation — could serve as an urine indicator of lupus nephritis progression and chronic disease in children, a pilot study suggests. The study, “Discovery of SERPINA3 as a candidate urinary biomarker of lupus nephritis activity,” was published in the journal Rheumatology. Up…
Psychosis is a rare manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that generally appears early, in the year before or within the first three years after SLE onset. The disorder is generally treatable, with patients fully recovering and rarely relapsing, a large international prospective study shows.
Zostavax, a live attenuated herpes zoster vaccine, is well-tolerated and causes an antibody response in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), who have a significant risk of herpes zoster infection and reactivation, a trial shows. The research, “Safety and Immune Response of a Live Attenuated Herpes…
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…
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