January 14, 2019 A small randomized Phase 1 study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology found that the existing asthma treatment omalizumab (Xolair) may improve lupus activity by reducing production of type 1 interferons. The study involved 15 patients with lupus who had elevated amounts of an antibody immunoglobulin E and a minimum level of disease […] READ MORE
January 8, 2019 Source: Idorsia LTD Press Release Idorsia Ltd (SIX: IDIA) announced that the first patient has been enrolled into a multiple-dose study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of cenerimod, a selective S1P1 receptor modulator for the treatment of adults with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Idorsia is investigating cenerimod, an oral once-daily tablet in […] READ MORE
NEW YORK, NY – January 10. Can “borrowed” drugs for treating other diseases protect the skin in patients with lupus? Can researchers coax the body to weed out harmful immune cells that drive tissue destruction in lupus? Those are just two of the innovative approaches for lupus therapies recognized by the Lupus Research Alliance with […] READ MORE
January 7, 2019 The 2018 Forum for Discovery opened with a series of lectures on new research on the role of our innate immune system in lupus and how discoveries may lead to new therapies. Roles of the cGAS Pathway in Lupus Zhijian (James) Chen, PhD, Professor of Molecular Biology at the University of Texas Southwestern […] READ MORE
One session at our recent scientific conference Forum for Discovery was devoted to meeting the need for new approaches to lupus and the challenges faced in “translating” what is learned by researchers into therapies that will help patients with lupus. Gerald Nepom, MD, PhD, Co-Chair of LRFs Scientific Advisory Board and Director of the Benaroya Research […] READ MORE
Researchers have long known that lupus and other autoimmune disorders tend to run in families. However, the inheritance pattern is in most cases unknown. And not everyone who inherits a gene variation that increases the chance of developing lupus, will develop lupus. That is why genetics of lupus is a key area of research. Over […] READ MORE
January 4, 2019 A study just published in Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology found that exposure to periodontal bacteria on the gums around the teeth can increase lupus disease activity. The team of researchers at Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation examined blood samples from lupus patients to measure the amount of antibodies formed against specific bacteria. They […] READ MORE
January 4, 2019 A new analysis published in Arthritis Research & Therapy found that SLE is associated with increased risk of 16 cancers and decreased risk for prostate cancer and cutaneous (skin) melanoma. The analysis included data from 24 published studies. Increased risk was seen in non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma, cervix, vagina/vulva, renal, […] READ MORE
December 22, 2018 Dr. Martin Kriegel and his colleagues at Yale University just published in Cell Host & Microbe an animal study partly funded by the Lupus Research Alliance that showed how diet may affect lupus. In this study, the team identified a specific bacteria, Lactobacillus reuteri, that was responsible for triggering an autoimmune response. […] READ MORE
NEW YORK, NY. December 20. The Board of Directors and staff of the Lupus Research Alliance mourn the death of Stephen Katz, MD, PhD, a true champion for the lupus community. For over two decades, Dr. Katz has served as Director of the home institute for lupus at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the […] READ MORE
NEW YORK, NY. December 14. The Lupus Research Alliance is pleased to share good news about a potential new treatment for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Yesterday, Eli Lilly and Company and Incyte Corporation announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Fast Track designation to baricitinib, which is being studied for the treatment of SLE. […] READ MORE
Gala Brings Out Heavy Hitters With The Honorable Michael R. Bloomberg, Lady Gaga, and Selena Gomez as honorary chairs, the success of our annual gala on November 19, 2018 — Breaking through Lupus was practically guaranteed. It was an unforgettable, spectacular evening, which brought in $3.5 million for lupus research studies. These big names came […] READ MORE
