GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced that it has filed applications with U.S. and European regulatory agencies to extend the approval of Benlysta (belimumab) as a treatment for active, autoantibody-positive systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) to its newer, subcutaneous formulation. The applications draw on positive results from a Phase 3 study in SLE patients treated by injection with the…
Aurinia Pharmaceuticals recently announced that it will host a lupus nephritis (LN) expert breakfast on Friday, Sept. 30, from in New York, to present recently released results from the AURA-LV trial in patients with active LN. The Phase 2b clinical trial (NCT02141672) is a randomized, controlled double-blind study comparing…
A case study found that epilepsy and rapid cognitive decline in an 70-year-old man initially masked — and complicated — diagnosing his central nervous system (CNS) lupus, but once the disease was identified and treated with immunotherapy, his neurological symptoms considerably improved. The study, “Neuropsychiatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Diagnostic Conundrum,” published…
Researchers at the biotechnology company Shade have developed a sensor, going under the same name, that allows people with systemic lupus erythematosus to accurately measure their ultraviolet (UV) exposure, enabling them to find and adjust to the personal exposure threshold that triggers their symptoms. While many wearable devices claim to measure vital signs, Shade —…
In a letter to the editor of the journal Nefrologia, a recent case report focused on a single patient with a diagnosis of simultaneous systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and Gaucher disease (GD), two unrelated medical conditions. The study, “Gaucher disease and Lupus: A rare association?” aims to present and…
The presence of anti-ficolin 3 antibodies could be used as a biomarker to diagnose active lupus with kidney involvement according to a study published in the scientific journal Plos One.
The results of a Phase 2/3 trial at two hospitals in the U.K. comparing the effectiveness of Xarelto (rivaroxaban) and Coumadin (warfarin) in the treatment of patients with thrombotic antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), with or without systemic lupus erythematosus, showed that Xarelto can be a safe and effective option for patients with…
A recent study published in the journal Health and Quality of Life Outcomes revealed that the Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS) is a suitable tool to assess resilience in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The BRCS is a self-reported measurement test considered a reliable indicator of resilience — the ability to cope…
Kezar Life Sciences, a San Francisco-based company focused on the development of therapies targeting protein homeostasis, recently initiated a Phase 1 clinical trial assessing KZR-616, a potential treatment for multiple autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, including lupus. Together with a medical team in Australia, the study will be performed in a…
A large number of patients with class II lupus nephritis (LN) show histological transformations years after the diagnosis, a new study reported, adding that proteinuria — or excessive amounts of protein in the urine — can serve as a predictor of patient outcome. This findings are the result of a multicenter study carried out in…