September 18, 2019 The LRA is pleased to share that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation to obinutuzumab (Gazyva®) for adults with lupus nephritis – the most common complication of lupus. The FDA’s designation aims to speed up the development and review of drugs intended to treat a serious condition […] READ MORE
September 19, 2019 Treating patients with lupus until they reach specific health goals can reduce disease flares and prevent organ damage, according to a research team co-led by Professor Eric F. Morand, at Monash University in Australia and past recipient of the Distinguished Innovator Award from the Lupus Research Alliance (LRA). This study is important […] READ MORE
A new study partly funded by the Lupus Research Alliance (LRA) may help explain how the immune system attacks patients’ DNA in lupus. Together with the laboratory of Dr. David Raulet at the University of California, Berkeley, Dr. Joshua Woodward of the University of Washington in Seattle and his colleagues discovered a protein door in […] READ MORE
September 5, 2019 Lupus Research Alliance Research Committee member, Dr. Mark Davis (Stanford University), recently published an important paper in the highly prestigious journal Nature that may transform how scientists view autoimmune diseases, including lupus. Dr. Davis and his team studied a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease in which the immune […] READ MORE
NEW YORK, NY. August 29 — The Lupus Research Alliance is excited to share the good news that a potential new medicine for lupus, anifrolumab, reduced disease activity versus placebo in a second Phase III study. Anifrolumab is a therapeutic antibody that blocks type I interferons, a molecule that promotes lupus inflammation. Over 15 studies […] READ MORE
August 26, 2019 The Lupus Research Alliance was proud to help launch the upcoming season at the New York Jets 20th Annual Kickoff Luncheon. The event also generated enthusiasm for the many worthwhile causes supported by the Jets team throughout the year. With the help of nearly 800 avid fans in attendance, the luncheon raised over $750,000 […] READ MORE
August 21, 2019 Newly published research found that belimumab (Benlysta®) effectively reduced the number of B cells, a type of white blood cell that makes antibodies. According to the prescribing information, belimumab is “a B-lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS)-specific inhibitor indicated for the treatment of patients aged 5 years and older with active, autoantibody positive, systemic lupus […] READ MORE
August 21, 2019 Critical research supported by the Lupus Research Alliance has led to an exciting research collaboration between the funded scientist Dr. Christian Lood, University of Washington where he is an Assistant Professor, and the company Exagen Inc.. Dr. Lood’s Novel Research Grant from the LRA focuses on one of our main immune cells, […] READ MORE
August 19, 2019 A new study led by Dr. S. Sam Lim of Emory University found a need for more awareness of biologic therapies among both black and white people with lupus. Biologics are medicines that come from living cells to prevent, treat and cure human diseases, and are designed to have specific effects on […] READ MORE
August 15, 2019 While August is when we savor the last weeks of summer, it is also the time to look ahead and prepare for fall. In recognition of National Immunization Month, our Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Teodora Staeva provides background on vaccines and relays government recommendations for which are safe for people with lupus. […] READ MORE
August 13, 2019 New research results showed that active Epstein-Barr virus increases the risk for lupus among relatives of people who already have lupus. Epstein-Barr virus is one of the most common human viruses. After the first infection, the virus becomes inactive in your body and can reactivate at any time. Scientists have known that […] READ MORE
August 12, 2019 A specific antibody target has been identified as causing neuropsychiatric symptoms of lupus, according to a study at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University published in the Journal of Neuroscience. These common symptoms include cognitive impairment, meaning that the person has trouble thinking, learning or remembering. Other symptoms include mood changes, seizures, headaches […] READ MORE
