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A video storytelling campaign and contest, called #IAmInvisibleNoMore, intended to raise awareness of “invisible” disabilities — which can range from  lupus to heart disease or depression — has been launched by the Invisible Disabilities Association (IDA) and the private company Allsup. IDA is an advocacy and support group…

Canada’s Aurinia Pharmaceuticals has launched ALL IN, an educational program to raise awareness of lupus nephritis. The disease, which affects about 200,000 Americans, is an inflammation of the kidney caused by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It prevents kidneys from properly removing waste from the blood and controlling the…

Long-term use of Benlysta (belimumab), an approved therapy, is both safe and effective, reducing disease activity in most systemic lupus erythematosus patients, according to a study that followed patients in the U.S. for seven years. The multicenter extension study involved patients who had completed 72 weeks of treatment in the BLISS-76…

Researchers have found that the antibody epratuzumab, which targets CD22 receptors, significantly reduces the activity of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in patients who also have Sjögren’s syndrome. A post-hoc analysis of the Phase 3 EMBODY trials, however, shows that the treatment is not effective in those without Sjögren’s syndrome. A post-hoc analysis…

Determining the activity of an enzyme in the blood could help doctors diagnose and track the progression of lupus, a Chinese study suggests. The research, “Serum adenosine deaminase activity is increased in systemic lupus erythematosus patients and correlated with disease activity,” was published in the journal Immunologic Research. A…

While lupus nephritis usually develops within five years of a systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) diagnosis, a case study of three patients shows that the condition may rarely appear 15 years or more after diagnosis. In the report, researchers call it “very delayed lupus nephritis,” pointing out it is to be distinguished…

In addition to their role in coagulation and healing, platelets seem to be involved in the response to foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses, contributing to an exacerbated immune response, a new study shows. The research, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), suggests that platelets play…

Researchers identified a new player involved in the development of lupus nephritis, providing potentially new therapeutic intervention points. The protein, iRhom2, is part of a pathway that, until now, could not be blocked due to its role in other essential functions. But targeting iRhom2 retained its healthy functions while preventing kidney damage.

Lupus patients’ risk of an autoimmune reaction while receiving a cancer immunotherapy is no greater than the general population’s, a Mayo Clinic study reports. The same is true of other rheumatic diseases, most of which affect joints and connective tissue, researchers said. Few people have flare-ups of these disorders when they go on…

Exagen Diagnostics is collaborating with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to bring greater awareness of its laboratory tests, meant to facilitate early diagnosis and management of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Under the agreement, GSK will provide information to a group of healthcare professionals about Exagen’s AVISE tests. The aim of both companies…