The American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) is celebrating its 25th anniversary this month with the inauguration of its yearlong Autoimmune Heroes campaign that names actresses Kellie Martin (@kelliemartin) and Haley Ramm (@halesbells), along with her mother Barbara Ramm (@BarbeeVintage), as the first #AutoimmuneHeroes for their help in raising public awareness and promoting…
Using next-generation DNA sequencing technology, researchers have targeted 16 specific regions of the human genome associated with increased susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), identifying more than 1,000 DNA variations that regulate the expression of genes associated with immune responses and SLE pathology. The variations are linked to disease susceptibility. The study,…
The Lupus Foundation of America has announced two new staff appointments: Susan Manzi, M.D., MPH, the chief adviser of clinical development and the Lupus Foundation’s new medical director; and Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation member Joan T. Merrill, M.D., who will serve as chief adviser for clinical development. Manzi is chair…
XTL Biopharmaceuticals has completed the design of a Phase 2 clinical trial investigating its drug candidate hCDR1 for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The planned international study will be launched this year after the company files its investigational new drug (IND) paperwork with the U.S. FDA. XTL’s lead product hCDR1 is a…
A new lupus research plan to guide work toward a cure was introduced on Wednesday, March 16, in a special briefing to the U.S. Congress. The briefing was presented by the Lupus Federal Working Group, which includes the lupus advocacy organizations Alliance for Lupus Research (ALR),…
Recent research highlights the understudied role of cytokines in various subtypes of cutaneous lupus erythematosus, primarily that cytokines interleukin-1 (IL-1-beta), interleukin-17 (IL-17) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) are involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. These results were recently presented at the 74th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology…
GSK has published a new analysis showing that moderate-to-severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients treated for five years with Benlysta (belimumab), in combination with standard of care, demonstrated low rates of progression in organ damage regardless of their condition prior to starting therapy.
Clinical management of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is challenging, and aims mainly to slow or prevent organ damage, particularly kidney injury. A review, publisThed in the journal ImmunoTargets and Therapy, shows that while immunosuppressive and biological agents form the basis of disease control in lupus, clinicians need…
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a prevalent comorbid factor in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, significantly increasing mortality outcomes. This is the conclusion of a recent review titled “Survival and prognostic factors of systemic lupus erythematosus-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension: A PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis,” published in the journal…
Xencor announced the beginning of two Phase 2 clinical trials testing its drug candidate, XmAb5871, to treat systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD), a rare fibro-inflammatory autoimmune disorder. In both trials, a first patient has already received an initial testing dose. XmAb5871 is a monoclonal antibody that targets both CD19 and the FcγRIIb…