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Lupus Research & Awareness News
Stay informed with our
Lupus
Research News Blog.
 Antimalarials
Recommended for All Lupus Patients
Use of antimalarial agents can improve survival with
systemic lupus erythematosus and should be given to all
patients with the disease, according to a report in the
January 7th issue of
Arthritis & Rheumatism. |
22 Jan 2010 |
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TAU
Expert Reviews Environmental Triggers (hairspray! Lipstick!)
Of Common Autoimmune Diseases
The links between
autoimmune diseases, infections, genetics and the
environment are complex and mysterious. Why are people who
live near airports more susceptible to autoimmune diseases
like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus? How do hormones in meat
trigger the onset of a disease?Our immediate environment
interacts with our genetic programming and can determine if
we will succumb to an autoimmune disease, says
rheumatologist Prof.
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26 Jan 2010
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New
Therapeutic Approach Identified For Kidney Disease
Associated With Lupus
Investigators have identified a
new disease mechanism and therapeutic approach for a type of
advanced kidney disease that is a common cause of
complications in patients with lupus. The study was led by
investigators at Hospital for Special Surgery and appears in
the January 25 online Early Edition of the Proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences.
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26 Jan 2010
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Anti-TNF
Drug-induced Lupus is More Severe. Some
patients with inflammatory autoimmune diseases exposed to
anti-TNF blockade experience drug-induced Lupus which is
more severe than other forms of drug-induced Lupus,
according to new report in the Journal of Rheumatology. |
17 Jan 2010 |
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Major Report to Congress by Secretary of Health and Human
Services Documents Need for National Lupus Health Education
Program for Health Care Providers. A major report on lupus from the Secretary of Health
and Human Services to the U.S. Congress this week reviews
the state of the disease and documents the need for a
comprehensive national provider health education program to
help eliminate the barriers of racial disparities in the
early medical diagnosis and treatment of lupus. |
22 Jan 2010 |
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People Who Have Both Lupus and Antiphospholipid Syndrome Might
Have Higher Risk of Thyroid Disease
The thyroid is a gland
in the neck which helps the body keep order over how food
and nutrients are handled and how fast people grow, gain or
lose weight, how the heart beats, or how blood pressure and
cholesterol levels in the blood respond to these changes. A
protein called "thyroid peroxidase" helps to modify other
proteins that the thyroid produces that perform all of these
functions. Some people make antibodies (immune proteins)
against their own thyroid peroxidase (these are called
"anti-TPO"). People with anti-TPO sometimes have an
underactive thyroid; this causes weight gain, fatigue, and a
tendency to feel cold when other people around you do not. |
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Potential New Indicators of Lupus Being Studied in Children
Since the 1970s,
researchers have known that lupus patients are at risk for
hardening of the arteries (“atherosclerosis”). Some of this
risk may be from the increased inflammation that lupus
patients have in the bloodstream over many years, but some
of it is from the same reasons that hold true for everybody:
especially high blood pressure, high blood glucose (sugar),
or low levels of "good cholesterol." |
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A Second Flu Shot Might Be More Effective in Some People
With Lupus
One of the ways that the immune system fights off the flu is
by making antibodies (immune proteins) that can recognize
the flu virus and attack it. The immune system can also make
little chemicals called "cytokines" that signal to the white
blood cells to make more of these antibodies when there is a
virus in the bloodstream. The flu shot is made with dead
virus that can help a patient make protecting antibodies but
won’t cause the full flu infection to start up. In this way,
individuals can be protected in advance before they are
exposed to the flu that is "going around" in their
community. Some lupus patients make fewer antibodies to the
flu shot than most people, and there is some concern that
medications for lupus can reduce the response to the flu
shot since they can suppress the immune system in other
ways. If there was a way to increase these responses, then
the flu shot might be more effective for people with lupus.
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The Body Count at Home
Nikki was a slim and
athletic college graduate who had health insurance, had
worked in health care and knew the system. But she had
systemic lupus erythematosus, a chronic inflammatory
disease that was diagnosed when she was 21 and gradually
left her too sick to work. And once she lost her job,
she lost her health insurance.
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Rock Your Religion — The Howie Pendant by Rock Your Religion
Howie Dorough (Howie D. of the Backstreet Boys) and Rock
Your Religion team up to conquer Lupus! We designed this
pendant to be worn with courage, strength, hope and
love: the cornerstones of Rock Your Religion and the
principles of the Dorough Lupus Foundation.
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Immunosuppressants Render Flu Vaccination Less Effective in
People With Lupus The immune
system fights off the flu in different ways. One way is by
making antibodies (immune proteins) that recognize the flu
virus and attack it. Another way is by activating certain
white blood cells to fight the virus; this is called
"cell-mediated immunity." Since cell-mediated responses to
the influenza vaccine also influence how well the vaccine
will work, it is important to understand how lupus may
affect the body’s cell-mediated response to the vaccine. |
20 Jan 2010 |
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Update
of the Guidelines for Lupus Anticoagulant Detection: F1000
Ranking: "Changes Clinical Behavior"
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12 Jan 2010 |
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The
Lupus Foundation Of America Seeks Applications For Its 2010
Gina M. Finzi Memorial Student Summer Fellowship Program
The Lupus Foundation of America, Inc. (LFA) is seeking
applications for its 2010 Gina M. Finzi Memorial Student
Summer Fellowship Program. The purpose of these awards is to
foster an interest among young investigators in lupus
research under the supervision of an established in
investigator.
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13 Jan 2010
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Epratuzumab
Receives U.S. Patent - Lupus Foundation Of America, Inc.
A U.S. patent has been issued to Immunomedics, Inc. for
epratuzumab, a monoclonal antibody under development as a
potential new treatment for lupus. In August of 2009,
Immunomedics and its partner, UCB of Belgium, reported
promising data from a phase IIb clinical study of
epratuzumab involving 227 individuals with moderate to
severe lupus.
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12 Jan 2010
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ALR
named official charity of the Suzuki Owner's Club of North
America.
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9 Jan 2010 |
Belimumab
Reduces Lupus Flares in a Phase III Clinical Trial
Belimumab,
a BLyS-specific inhibitor, reduces disease activity, flares,
and prednisone use in patients with active SLE: efficacy and
safety results from the phase 3 BLISS-52 study. (2009).
American College of Rheumatology Abstracts |
9 Jan 2010 |
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Genomes
Of Identical Twins Reveal Epigenetic Changes That May Play
Role In Lupus Identical twins look the
same and are nearly genetically identical, but environmental
factors and the resulting cellular changes could cause
disease in one sibling and not the other. In a study
published online in Genome Research |
29 Dec 2009 |
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Urine
Components May Indicate Severity of Lupus Nephritis
Lupus may involve inflammation of the
kidney, called lupus nephritis, which can impair the
kidney’s ability to remove waste from the body. Since normal
kidney function is vital, lupus nephritis requires
aggressive treatments. Currently, the best way to diagnose
kidney inflammation is with a biopsy, which is an invasive
procedure that can sometimes have serious side effects. If
there were tests that could be done to help diagnose and
evaluate lupus nephritis without a biopsy, this would be a
major advance for patients. |
23 Dec 2009 |
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Genentech’s Rontalizumab Is Well-Tolerated by Lupus
Patients in a Phase I Clinical Trial
New treatments
for lupus have to undergo a series of clinical trials to test
whether they are safe and effective before the FDA can approve
them for general use in patients. This trial was the first stage
of testing for rontalizumab, which is a new treatment that interferes
with an inflammatory protein called "interferon-alpha." Interferon-alpha
is increased in many people with lupus, so it is thought that
maybe this kind of treatment might work for lupus. The first
stage of testing, called Phase I, is focused mostly on testing
the safety of new treatments. Phase I studies are kind of like
dipping your toe in the water and typically involve small numbers
of patient volunteers. If the treatment seems safe enough after
Phase I, then larger studies can be done to see if the treatment
would help to treat the symptoms of lupus
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23 Dec 2009 |
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New Criteria To Be Tested For Lupus Diagnosis
The American College of Rheumatology established criteria for
lupus in 1982, which were most recently revised in 1997. However,
as time goes by and new research is completed, it makes sense
to revisit how lupus is defined.
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23 Dec 2009 |
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Usefulness of Antimalarial Drugs
in Lupus by
Bruno Oliveira, MD, To say that this decade has been good for
antimalarial drugs is an understatement. Study after study kept
coming up with new and seemingly unrelated benefits of these
old drugs. A paper in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases
(January 2010 issue) summarizes the data from most relevant
studies on this issue |
13 Dec 2009 |
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President
Obama signed the Omnibus Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year
2010 this week. It provides a second year of $1 million
funding,
$2.6
million
total to date
for
the new national lupus physician and health care provider education
program!
Lupus education will now be developed for the nation’s medical
schools to give doctors and community-based health care providers
the tools to pause and ask that crucial question,
“COULD
IT BE LUPUS?”
The appropriations bill also designates $4.5 million for the
Center for Disease Control’s National Lupus Patient Registry.
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18 Dec 2009 |
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Your
Voices Were Heard! Thanks
to you, Congress has heard how important lupus funding is to
their constituents! On Sunday, December 13, 2009, Congress passed
the Omnibus Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2010. In this
bill there is: $4,505,000 for the National Lupus Patient Registry
(NLPR) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
This is an increase of $505,000 over FY09 Appropriations. $1
million to continue the national lupus health education program
for physicians and healthcare providers within the Office of
Minority Health was also included..
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14 Dec 2009 |
A
“Breakthrough Decade”: $100 Million for Innovative Lupus Research
It
was announced last night that over the past decade, the Lupus
Research Institute (LRI)’s pioneering science has generated
$100 million in new research funding for the devastating autoimmune
disease of systemic lupus.
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12 Dec 2009 |
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$3.6 Million Awarded To Drive Innovative Science In Lupus And
Autoimmunity
The Lupus Research Institute (LRI) has named
12 new grant recipients for 2009. The awards, totaling $3.6
million, recognize innovative work across a broad spectrum of
lupus research. All were selected for their creativity, novelty,
and potential to drive scientific discovery to ultimately prevent,
treat, and cure the complex disease of systemic lupus.
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26 Nov 2009
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Saliva Proteins Change As Women Age
In a step toward
using human saliva to tell whether those stiff joints, memory
lapses, and other telltale signs of aging are normal or red
flags for disease, scientists are describing how the protein
content of women's saliva change with advancing age.
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20 Nov 2009
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Could I Have Lupus? Awareness Campaign
is # 1 for Outdoor Donated Media Dollars in Q2 2009!
We are excited to share with you the final donated and earned
media results for Q2 2009 for the Could I Have Lupus?
Awareness campaign. The campaign received $9,311,000
in total donated media support and $597,800
in earned media support (public relations) in Q2 2009.
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13 Nov 2009 |
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Smokers With Common Autoimmune Disorder At Higher Risk For Skin
Damage
As if there weren't enough reasons to stop smoking,
a team of researchers at the Research Institute of the McGill
University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) have just found another.
A study led by Dr. Christian A Pineau, Co-Director of the
Lupus and Vasculitis clinic at the MUHC, has clearly linked
skin damage and rashes to smoking in people with systemic lupus
erythematosus (SLE).
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04 Nov 2009
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BENLYSTA™ Successful In Second Pivotal Clinical Trial
Human Genome Sciences (HGS) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced
positive results from BLISS-76, the second of two large-scale
phase III clinical trials of BENLYSTA™ (belimumab) for treating
systemic lupus.
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03 Nov 2009
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Lupus Patients Who Receive Kidney Transplants Rarely Develop
Lupus Nephritis
Individuals with a history of lupus who
receive a kidney transplant rarely develop the serious inflammatory
condition lupus nephritis in their new organ, according to a
paper being presented at the American Society of Nephrology's
42nd Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition in San Diego,
CA.
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02 Nov 2009
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NEUROPSYCHIATRIC SYNDROMES COMMON WITH
LUPUS AND SJOGREN SYNDROME
Neuropsychiatric involvement is common in patients with systemic
lupus erythematosus (SLE) and primary Sjogren syndrome (PSS),
according to findings in the October issue of the Annals of
the Rheumatic Diseases. The pattern of involvement, however,
differs between the diseases.
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National Report Shines Light on Lupus
50-Year Treatment Drought
Today, The Lewin Group, a national health care consulting
firm, issued recommendations on ways to overcome the barriers
that have obstructed lupus drug development resulting in
no new drug approval for this disease in more than 50 years
-- since the Eisenhower Administration. The recommendations
are included in the report Overcoming Barriers to Drug Development
in Lupus, which is the outcome of a 9-month study commissioned
by the Lupus Foundation of America, Inc. (LFA).
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Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) Supports
Lupus Research Through Colloquy
Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) took a strong stand in support
of lupus research in early August by executing a colloquy, or
formal discussion, with Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK), who chairs
the Department of Defense's (DoD) appropriations subcommittee,
to reinstate lupus as a disease to receive DoD funding. |
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Seeking People with Lupus to Participate
in a Survey Between
October 19 – November 9, BioVid Corp. -- a market research
firm – is conducting a survey. Specifically, they want to
survey people living with lupus about their experiences
with, and attitudes toward, the management of some health
conditions.Anyone living in the United States is eligible
to participate. BioVid is looking for up to 100 people to
take part in this survey, which will take about 45 minutes
to complete. For those selected to participate in the survey,
there’s a $75 stipend.If you are interested in participating,
please contact Dusten Lorenz at
dlorenz@biovid.com
to begin the initial screening process.
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19 Oct 2009 |
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Young Women With Autoimmune Condition Need To Be Warned About
The Dangers Of Smoking And Use Of Oral Contraceptives
An article published Online First and in the November edition
of The Lancet Neurology reports that women with a particular
subtype of antibody called lupus anticoagulant (LA) have a more
than 40-fold increased risk of stroke.
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28 Sept 2009
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Improving How Signs of Lupus Nephritis Are Measured
The kidneys act as filters to remove
waste materials from the blood; these waste materials are then
passed out of the body in the urine. Lupus that affects the
kidneys, termed lupus nephritis, or LN, can cause inflammation
that damages the kidney tissue. If LN is not diagnosed early
and treated aggressively, this tissue damage can affect the
kidneys’ ability to filter waste. If the kidneys become too
damaged to function properly, a person may need to undergo regular
(two-three times per week) dialysis treatments, in which the
blood is circulated through a machine that removes the waste
material. Lupus nephritis can eventually lead to end stage renal
disease (ESRD) and the need for a kidney transplant.
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16 Sept 2009 |
The Thyroid-Lupus Relationship
The thyroid gland makes hormones
that act on many functions in the body, from how quickly cells
use energy to bone development and nerve cell growth. The thyroid’s
production of hormones is regulated by TSH (thyroid-stimulating
hormone), which is made in the pituitary gland. Autoimmune
thyroid disease occurs when the body makes antibodies to thyroid
cells. Different antibodies to the thyroid can have different
effects. Some can inhibit the thyroid cells, causing an underactive
thyroid (thyroiditis); others can stimulate the thyroid cells,
leading to an overactive thyroid (Graves’ disease). Many of
the symptoms of autoimmune thyroid disease -- fatigue, muscle
pain and weakness, specific antibodies -- are also symptoms
of lupus. Several studies have suggested that thyroid disease
occurs more often in people with lupus than the general population.
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16 Sept 2009 |
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Childhood- and adult-onset lupus: an update
of similarities and differences
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multifactorial autoimmune
rheumatic disease. Although its highest prevalence is among
women of childbearing age, the disease is not confined within
this population. A total of 15–20% of cases of SLE are diagnosed
in children younger than 16 years (childhood-onset lupus). Although
there have been few studies directly comparing childhood- to
adult-onset lupus, there is substantial evidence to suggest
that pediatric lupus patients display some differences in their
disease profile compared with adult-onset populations.
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08 Sept 2009 |
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Race Shown To Affect Severity Of Lupus Disease
In patients
with systemic lupus erythematosus, their race can affect how
severe the disease will become, according to a new study.Systemic
lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the most common form of lupus a
chronic inflammatory disease that can affect various parts of
the body, especially the kidneys, joints, blood and nervous
system.
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09 Sept 2009
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UPDATE 2-UCB, Immunomedics drug shows promise for lupus
Posted: 27
Aug 2009 07:29 AM PDT
BRUSSELS/LONDON, Aug 27 (Reuters) - An experimental lupus medicine
from Belgium's UCB (UCB.BR) and U.S. biotech company Immunomedics
(IMMU.O) proved effective in mid-stage tests, marking a fresh
advance in finding new drugs for the disease.
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27 August 2009 |
Transplant drug may be useful for treating lupus
A drug similar to one used to prevent
organ-transplant rejection in people attacks a key biochemical
process in the faulty immune cells of mice prone to lupus, new
research shows.
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Vaccine-like treatment shows promise against
lupus
Researchers at Perdue
University have developed a vaccine-like treatment that shows
promise for controlling lupus without the sometimes devastating
side effects of current lupus treatments. In a study published
in the September-October issue of
Molecular Pharmaceutics,
the treatment not only improved lupus symptoms but also extended
the lives of laboratory mice with a disease comparable to human
lupus.
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CellCept linked to pregnancy loss and
birth defects
Mycophenolate mofetil
(CellCept),
a drug that suppresses the immune system, has been linked to
an increased risk of first-trimester pregnancy loss, the FDA
warned health-care professionals
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Compounds may help doctors detect lupus
kidney disease
New research funded by the Arthritis Foundation
suggests that high urinary levels of four compounds may one
day help doctors detect and possibly treat lupus nephritis,
a potentially deadly kidney disease associated with lupus.
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New approach for attacking lupus identified
Investigators at Hospital for Special
Surgery have identified two new targets for drugs aimed at controlling
lupus. If companies are able to develop drugs that home in on
these targets, say the investigators, patients may be able to
control their disease with few side effects.
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Scientists find genetic variants that increase lupus risk
Scientists have pinpointed a
set of common variations in human DNA that signal a higher risk
for lupus in women who carry them. Some of these variations
are more common in relatives of lupus patients, which may help
future studies examining whether lupus is more prevalent among
certain racial and ethnic groups, according to recent lupus
news.
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Researchers discover a way to turn off immune system cells
Researchers at the University of Minnesota
have discovered a new way to turn off genes in human T cells,
a type of white blood cell that helps the immune system fight
infection. They say their research, published in the February
1 issue of Molecular Cell, could potentially lead to
the development of new drugs that turn off the immune system
in people with autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis
and lupus. It could also prevent cancer cells from dividing
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Cell signaling glitch leads to lupus progression
Immune cells
that would normally die in healthy people accumulate in bodies
of patients who have lupus and contribute to the disease, according
to new research published in the Feb. 15 issue of
Immunity.
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Abnormal 'editing' of gene messages may be cause of lupus
Researchers at Wake Forest University
in Winston-Salem, N.C., have uncovered evidence that the abnormal
“editing” of gene messages in a type of white blood cell may
be behind the development of lupus.
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Multi-target' immune therapy improves outcomes of severe
lupus nephritis From China comes some promising
lupus news. A new treatment using a combination of drugs targeting
different parts of the immune system improves the recovery rate
for patients with severe lupus involving the kidneys, according
to a new Chinese study reported in the Journal of the American
Society of Nephrology.
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Update on Immunotherapy for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus—What's
Hot and What's Not! |
12 August 2009 |
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Lupus Foundation of America Applauds New Legislation that Caps
Out-of-Pocket Drug Costs
Provides Protection for People with Lupus and other
Chronic Diseases
The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) President and Chief Executive
Officer, Sandra C. Raymond, issued the following statement regarding
S.1630 "The Affordable Access to Prescription Medications Act
of 2009" introduced on Thursday, August 6, 2009 by Senator John
(Jay) D. Rockefeller IV (D-WV). |
10 August 2009 |
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OMRF researchers link vitamin D deficiency with lupus
Vitamin D has long been renowned for its role in creating
strong bones. But research from the Oklahoma Medical Research
Foundation suggests that the vitamin could also play an early
role in autoimmune diseases such as lupus.
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4 August 2009 |
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H1N1 (Swine) Flu Advisory for People with Lupus The Lupus
Foundation of America (LFA) is aware of the concern that people
with lupus may have about the recent outbreak of the H1N1 (Swine)
Flu. Please know the LFA is monitoring the situation and consulting
with our National Medical-Scientific Advisory Council on the
possible impact of this virus on people with lupus. |
7 August 2009 |
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Immune Responses To Flu Vaccine Are Diminished In Lupus Patients
Patients with the autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus
(SLE) have an increased risk of infection, due to both disturbances
in their immune responses and treatment with immunosuppressive
drugs.
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31 July 2009
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Treating Lupus Nephritis: Does Ethnicity Play a Role?
This is another study looking at the immunosuppressive
drugs cyclophosphamide (CY) and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF)
for treatment of lupus nephritis (LN). (See Mycophenolate mofetil
versus cyclophosphamide for induction treatment of lupus nephritis,
Journal of American Society of Nephrology, Volume 20, Issue
5, May 2009, pp. 1103–1112). |
29 July 2009 |
The Therapeutic Effect of Balneotherapy: Evaluation of the Evidence
from Randomised Controlled Trials There is widespread
popular belief that balneotherapy is effective in the treatment
of various ailments. We searched PubMed (1950-2006), Scopus
and Cochrane library for randomised controlled trials (RCTs),
examining the clinical effect of balneotherapy (both as a solitary
approach and in the context of spa) on various diseases.
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21 July 2009 |
U.S. House of Representatives Approves $1 Million for Second
Year of Funding
The U.S. House of Representatives today
approved its Fiscal Year 2010 appropriations bill for health
programs and included $1 million for a second year of funding
to continue the national lupus health education program for
physicians and healthcare providers.
The education program is being
led by the Office of Minority Health in the federal Department
of Health and Human Services in partnership with the U.S. Surgeon
General and the Office of Women's Health.
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24 July 2009 |
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Amanda Davenport competes in Fox's Hell's Kitchen despite Lupus
Amanda is a 27-year-old Sous Chef based in New York who has
lupus. Every week Amanda and 15 other contestants will be put
through rigorous culinary challenges ... competing for the grand
prize of a Head Chef position at Araxi Restaurant in Whistler,
British Columbia, Canada. Originally from Washington State,
Amanda lives in New York City, and received her training from
the French Culinary Institute. Amanda is also an active supporter
of the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA), and recently participated
in the NYC Walk for Lupus Now. We wish her good luck in the
competition, and encourage everyone to tune-in and cheer for
her. |
24 July 2009 |
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Human Genome Sciences And GlaxoSmithKline Announce Positive
Phase 3 Study Results For BENLYSTATM In Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Human Genome Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: HGSI) and GlaxoSmithKline
PLC (GSK) today announced that BENLYSTA™ (belimumab, formerly
LymphoStat-B®) met the primary endpoint in BLISS-52, the first
of two pivotal Phase 3 trials in patients with serologically
active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
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20 July 2009
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How Well Does Mycophenolate
Mofetil Work as a Lupus Treatment?
Nearly all medications used to treat lupus
are “off-label,” meaning they were originally developed for
other illnesses or disease symptoms. Learning as much as possible
about how a medication disperses in the body when it is given
for other uses will help to achieve the best results. How well
does mycophenolate mofetil work in a person with lupus?
Read more >>
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15 July 2009 |
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No Known Connection Between Childhood Abuse And Lupus
In recent news reports, there was a statement made that abuse
experienced as a child can later lead to the development of
autoimmune diseases, including lupus. There is no scientific
evidence to support this statement, either in humans or animal
models of lupus.
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10 July 2009
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Basic Facts And Statistics About Lupus
In response to
a recent increase in media interest in lupus, the Lupus Foundation
of America (LFA) is providing a fact sheet about the disease.
What is lupus?Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease in which
the immune system is unbalanced, causing inflammation and tissue
damage to virtually any tissue or organ in the body.
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10 July 2009
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SLE Patients Prone to Certain Depressive and Anxiety Disorders
Several mood and anxiety disorders are more common in women
with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) than in the general
population, according to results of a study published in the
June 15th issue of Arthritis and Rheumatism. |
25 June 2009 |
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Key Culprits In Lupus Revealed By Scripps Research Scientists
The more than 1.5 million Americans with systemic lupus erythematosus
(or lupus) suffer from a variety of symptoms that flare and
subside, often including painful or swollen joints, extreme
fatigue, skin rashes, fever, and kidney problems.
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01 July 2009
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Funding for Lupus Discoveries Tops $70 Million
Our innovative ideas keep winning new support at the NIH Despite
tough economic times, the LRI model of backing bold ideas in
lupus is going strong and proving successful at securing even
larger long-term funding. It was just last fall that we told
you about the $60 million that LRI researchers had leveraged
at the NIH and other organizations.
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1 July 2009 |
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New EULAR Recommendations for
Neuropsychiatric Manifestations in SLE
New recommendations for the diagnosis and management of systemic
lupus erythematosus (SLE) with neuropsychiatric manifestations
were presented here at EULAR 2009: The Annual European Congress
of Rheumatology. The recommendations are based on a systematic
review and expert opinion and include diagnostic and therapeutic
algorithms for the more common problematic neuropsychiatric
manifestations of SLE. |
19 June 2009 |
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Lupus Foundation Of America Seeks Proposals For Research
Studies On Childhood Lupus And Stem Cell Transplantation
The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) is seeking proposals for
grant funding for research studies on lupus, an unpredictable
and potentially fatal autoimmune disease. Grants will support
areas of study in pediatric lupus and adult stem cell transplantation.
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24 June 2009
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Vaccines in Adult Patients With Rheumatic Disease: Balancing
Risks and Benefits Infections are a major
cause of morbidity and increased mortality in patients with
rheumatologic diseases, and the risk for infection is increased
in these patients, likely due to underlying immune dysfunction
as well as immunosuppressive treatments. Infection prevention,
including optimal use of vaccinations, should be maximized in
patients with autoimmune disease. However, due to underlying
immune dysregulation and immunosuppressive treatments, use of
vaccines is complicated. |
18 June 2009 |
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Breakthrough: Risk Factors for Blood Clots in People
w/ Lupus |
19 June 2009 |
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Discovery of Gene Linked to Gender in Lupus
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19 June 2009 |
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EULAR Highlights The Impact Of Lupus On Patients' Lives
Results from an international online survey,
carried out by UCB in conjunction with Lupus Europe and the
Lupus Foundation of America, the two principal advocacy groups
that represent people with lupus, were presented during the
EULAR (European League Against Rheumatism) congress at a symposium
called, "Lupus - considering the future.
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14 June 2009
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Infliximab in
SLE With so many papers highlighting
infliximab-induced SLE cases (see my saved search from
Pubmed here),
it is refreshing to see a paper with positive results.
Uppal et al
published a study in the Lupus journal June/09 issue investigating
the potential usefulness and safety of Infliximab in patients
with active Lupus (link
to paper). The theory behind
the use of TNF-Alfa blockers in SLE comes from the observation
that patients with active Lupus have elevated levels of TNF
in their sera. Granted that the investigators only found
improvement in serological markers and no statistical improvement
in disease scores, at least no harm was seen in this small study
(N=46).
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07 June 2009 |
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Global Lupus Experts Gather For Historic Meeting -- Urgent And
Unmet Needs Of Individuals With Lupus Dominate Agenda
The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA)
convened an Expert Panel June 1-2 to address the urgent and
unmet need for the development and approval of new, safe, effective,
and tolerable medications for people with lupus.
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08 June 2009
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Lupus-Relevant
Recovery Act Awards
Several NIH Recovery
Act Awards announced in early June are targeted at small businesses
and for-profit biotechnology companies—and may be of interest
to R&D companies working in lupus. Others are relevant to lupus
research in different and creative ways.
They include:
Small Business Catalyst
Awards for Accelerating Innovative Research (R43)
read more
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10 June 2009 |
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Findings of International Survey Highlight the Significant Impact
of Lupus on Patients' Lives
Results from an international online survey,
carried out by UCB in conjunction with Lupus Europe and the
Lupus Foundation of America, the two principal advocacy groups
that represent people with lupus, were presented on June 12
during the EULAR (European League Against Rheumatism) congress
in Copenhagen, Denmark, at a symposium called "Lupus - Considering
the Future." |
13 June 2009 |
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New Lupus Drug Showed Positive Results In Trial Said Manufacturer
A phase 2 trial of the drug belimumab
in patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) showed
positive results, according to the drug company.Human Genome
Sciences (HGS) of Rockville, Maryland, USA, told delegates attending
the 2009 Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism
(EULAR) in Copenhagen on 11 June that the four-year trial results
showed "sustained improvement in disease activity and patient
response rate", frequency of disease flares went down, and there
was no overall increase in adverse events, serious or otherwise.
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12 June 2009
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Human Genome Sciences Reports Positive Long-Term Data For BENLYSTA(TM)
(Formerly LymphoStat-B(R)) In Patients With Active Systemic
Lupus Erythematosus
Human Genome
Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: HGSI) announced the presentation of
results from a long-term Phase 2 continuation trial showing
that BENLYSTA(TM) (belimumab, formerly LymphoStat-B(R)) was
associated with sustained improvement in disease activity across
multiple clinical measures, decreased frequency of disease flares,
and was generally well tolerated through four years on treatment
in combination with standard of care in patients with serologically
active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
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12 June 2009
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In Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Models, Novel DNA Vaccine Leads
To Kidney Damage Prevention DNA vaccination
using lupus autoantigens and interleukin-10 (IL-10, a cytokine
that plays an important role in regulating the immune system)
has potential as a novel therapy to induce antigen specific
tolerance and may help to prevent kidney damage in patients
with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to a new
study presented at EULAR 2009, the Annual Congress of the European
League Against Rheumatism in Copenhagen, Denmark.
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12 June 2009
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Development Of DNA Drugs Gives Hope To Lupus Patients
A generation of DNA-like compounds, class R inhibitory oligonucleotides
(INH-ODNs), have been shown to effectively inhibit cells responsible
for the chronic autoimmune condition lupus. Researchers writing
in BioMed Central's open access journal Arthritis Research &
Therapy have demonstrated the anti-inflammatory effects of the
INH-ODNs in both in vitro and mouse experiments.
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28 May 2009
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Team Develops DNA Compounds That Could Help Treat Lupus
A research team led by a University of Iowa investigator has
generated DNA-like compounds that effectively inhibit the cells
responsible for systemic lupus erythematosus -- the most common
and serious form of lupus.
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28 May 2009
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A Potential New Treatment for Severe Discoid Lupus
May 28, 2009 at 8:44 am
Discoid lupus is a form of lupus that affects
the skin (cutaneous lupus). In most cases the discoid lupus rash appears
on the face, neck, or scalp, though it can also show up on other areas
of the skin. Severe discoid lupus may result in scarring. The treatments
that are used most often for severe discoid lupus are strong immunosuppressants
that may have significant side effects, especially when used over long
periods of time. Efalizumab (trade name, Raptiva™) works by interfering
with the function of overactive immune cells that are causing disease
activity. The researchers in this study wanted to see if Raptiva could
be effective in treating discoid lupus.
Read more >>
NIH's National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities
Announces Funding of Three Additional Recovery Act Programs
Posted: 13 May 2009 07:38 AM PDT
The NIH's National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities
(NCMHD) has announced that it is accepting applications for funding
of three more Recovery Act programs related to health disparities. The
awards provide funding to:
- establish an Exploratory NCMHD Center of Excellence
read more
People with lupus often have poor sense of smell May 9, 2009
NSF Funding $400 Million to Renovate Facilities and Increase Access
to Shared Research Instruments
Posted: 11 May 2009 01:22 PM PDT The National Science Foundation (NSF)
has announced that it will give $400 million in awards for the renovation
of science facilities and the purchase of major equipment at higher
education institutions as part of the Recovery Act (ARRA). Funding
will be allocated equally between these one-time programs.
read more
New directions in the treatment of systemic
lupus erythematosus
May 11, 2009
Lupus Research Institute Propels Discovery with Wide Range of New Grants
Posted: 30 Apr 2009 12:13 PM PDT From the innovative design of tiny
drug delivery “magic bullets” to a pioneering hunt for immune system
therapies, the Lupus Research Institute’s (LRI) latest round of Novel
Research Grants promises to break crucial new ground in the urgent search
for solutions to lupus, a chronic and often devastating autoimmune disease.
read more
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Researchers Probe Kidney Damage, Protection In Lupus
Kidney damage associated with the autoimmune disease lupus is
linked to a malfunction of immune cells that causes them to
congregate in and attack the organs, researchers at UT Southwestern
Medical Center have discovered in a mouse study.
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22 Apr 2009
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Alternative
Therapy For Lupus Nephritis
Lupus is a rare but serious disease that mainly affects women
of child-bearing age and occurs when the body's immune system
goes awry, damaging a variety of organs. When kidneys are targeted,
patients develop lupus nephritis, which can result in kidney
failure and death.
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16 Apr 2009
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Study: Bone-building drug blocks effects
of steroids
Posted: 15 Apr 2009 07:52 AM PDT A Novartis-funded study found that
a once-yearly injection of bone-building treatment Reclast was more
effective than a daily dose of the oral bisphosphonate pill Actonel
in reversing bone loss in patients who are taking glucocorticoid drugs
to treat immune-related conditions, such as asthma and lupus. The study's
lead author said he is optimistic that Reclast would get FDA approval
to treat patients taking steroids.
read more
NIH Recovery Act Program Opportunity for
Faculty Development; $100 Million Reserved
Posted: 08 Apr 2009 09:51 AM PDT The National Institutes of Health has
released a new Recovery Act (ARRA) program with 14 Institutes or Centers
participating that should be of interest to lupus researchers and university-based
faculty. The program is called “Supporting New Faculty Recruitment
to Enhance Research Resources through Biomedical Research Core Centers
(P30).” $100 million has been reserved for the effort. The deadline
for applications is April 29, 2009.
read more
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Association
Between Oral Contraceptives And Increased Risk Of Lupus
The ratio of women to men with the autoimmune disease systemic
lupus erythematosus (SLE) is nine to one and the incidence increases
after puberty. Hormones secreted by the body are therefore believed
to play an important role in the origins of the disease.
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13 Apr 2009
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Birth Control Pills Linked to Lupus Risk
Posted: 10 Apr 2009 07:30 AM PDT
But doctors differ on degree of peril,
saying genetics likely a key player.
By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter THURSDAY, April 9 (HealthDay News) -- Women
taking birth control pills, especially those who have just started taking
them, may face an increased risk of developing the autoimmune disease
lupus, a new study suggests. Although the link between lupus and
oral contraceptives has been debated for some time, this new study adds
weight to earlier studies -- including the Nurses' Health Study -- that
have shown a link between oral contraceptives and lupus, the study authors
said.
read more
Study Suggests Long-Term Steroid Use in
Pediatric Lupus Can Have Serious Complications
Treatment for lupus nephritis in children
has usually relied on high doses of steroids (prednisone), either alone
or in combination with other medications that suppress the immune system.
The long-term use of steroids to treat lupus can lead to serious complications,
especially for those diagnosed with lupus in their childhood and teenage
years, who can have their growth affected, as well as other serious
long-term side effects.
Read more about this study >>
Study Finds Most Cases of Lupus Nephritis
in Children Are Treatable
Kidney disease is one of the most serious
complications of lupus, especially for children or teens. Estimates
are that nearly half of children with lupus develop kidney involvement.
This can cause permanent damage to the kidneys, limiting their ability
to help filter the blood and pass waste material out of the body in
urine.
Read more about this study >>
LFA Research Program Expands Studies on
Lupus in Children
Lupus in
children may develop early and tends to be more severe, with multi-organ
system involvement. New tests to diagnose and monitor lupus in children,
as well as treatments specifically tailored for this population, are
still needed. The LFA is the only national nonprofit voluntary health
organization to have a research program specifically focused on pediatric
lupus.
Learn more about the LFA’s Michael
Jon Barlin Pediatric Lupus Research Program >>
Department of Defense Awards $1.4 Million
for Lupus Research to Dr. Joseph Ahearn
The LFA pioneered efforts
to have lupus and lupus biomarkers included as disease areas eligible
for funding through the Department of Defense (DoD) Congressionally
Directed Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP). The DoD announced
last week that it has awarded a $1.4 million grant to Joseph M. Ahearn,
M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine and Co-Director of the Lupus Center
of Excellence at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Ahearn, who also
is an LFA-sponsored investigator, will use the funds to support the
Lupus Center of Excellence’s ongoing studies on lupus biomarkers.
Read more >>
LFA Expands Website with New Interactive
Tool and Checklist
Increasing
public awareness of lupus symptoms and the impact of lupus on the body
will improve early diagnosis and treatment, a major LFA program objective.
The LFA has developed a new interactive tool for its website, lupus.org,
which includes a checklist to help physicians review a patient’s symptoms
and risk factors. Users scroll over an image of various parts
of the body to reveal a text box containing a brief description of how
lupus can damage that particular organ or system. Individuals then are
directed to complete the symptom checklist and answer a series of health
questions based on current and past medical history. Individuals can
print out a report with their answers to share with their doctor.
Try the new interactive tool today
>>
Letter from Dr. Stephen I. Katz: More
Funding Opportunities related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act (ARRA)
Posted: 07 Apr 2009 12:12 PM PDT Dear Colleagues: I am pleased to report
more NIH funding opportunities supported by the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act (ARRA), in addition to the
Challenge Grants
(RC1),
Grand Opportunities
(RC2), and
supplement
announcements described in previous letters.
read more
ALR Researcher
awarded DoD funding. more...
4/7/09
National Limousine
Association supports the ALR. more...
4/7/09
Activist Cathy Flanagan-Ross Donates "Cure Lupus Now" trademark to the
ALR. more... 4/7/09
Early Funding from the Alliance for Lupus Research helps small firm
advance research. more...
4/7/09
Preeminent Lupus Pediatrics Expert Joins Lupus Research Institute’s
Peer Review Task Force
Posted: 06 Apr 2009 10:53 AM PDT Lupus expert Virginia Pascual, MD,
has accepted a position as one of three Task Force Chairs for
Novel Research peer review at the Lupus Research Institute (LRI), the
national nonprofit organization rapidly pioneering discovery to prevent,
treat, and cure lupus.
read more
A Patient’s Voice in Lupus Research
Posted:
30 Mar 2009 07:24 AM PDT
LRI Advocate Vera Santeramo
is Directly Shaping the Course of Government Research Funding
When it
comes to lupus research, supporters from countless corners of the nation
clamor to be heard. As a champion of the LRI, you can be assured that
those who see novel research as key to a better future are sounding
out—and being heard. Here’s one way it happens.
read more
4th Annual Shady Ladies® Luncheon and Celebrity Sunglasses
Auction Raises $45,000
Posted:
24 Mar 2009 12:29 PM PDT More than 100 shady ladies joined the Lupus
Research Institute for its 4th annual Shady Ladies®
Luncheon and Celebrity Sunglass Auction held on Sunday, March 15,
2009, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington,
Florida. The event raised approximately $45,000 for LRI.
read more
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
and Ad Council Launch National Lupus Awareness Campaign
NEW YORK, March 31, 2009 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/
----Eighty percent of young women in the United
States say they have little or no knowledge of lupus,
according to a national online survey released today
by the Ad Council.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/adcouncil/37422/
In an effort to raise awareness of lupus among women
who are at greatest risk for the disease, the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services' Office
on Women's Health is joining the Ad Council to launch
a national multimedia public service advertising
(PSA:
54.11,
-1.13, -2.05%)
campaign to address the disease.
Gene Linked to Lupus Might Explain Gender Difference in Disease Risk
Posted: 30 Mar 2009 11:56 AM PDT
Monday,
March 30, 2009
In an international human genetic study, researchers at UT Southwestern
Medical Center have identified a gene linked to the autoimmune disease
lupus, and its location on the X chromosome might help explain why females
are 10 times more susceptible to the disease than males.
read more
Opportunity for Lupus Investigators — NIH’s Recovery Act “GO” Grants
Posted:
25 Mar 2009 06:58 AM PDT
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Applications
for NIH's Research and Research Infrastructure "Grand Opportunities"
(GO) grants are due April 27, 2009. The "GO" grants program will support
large-scale research projects that accelerate critical breakthroughs,
early and applied research on cutting-edge technologies, and new approaches
to improving the synergy and interactions among multi- and interdisciplinary
research teams. The underlying goal of the two-year "GO" grants: to
lay the foundation for new fields of investigation.
read more
Best Selling Cancer Drug Could Become First New Treatment for Lupus
in 50 Years
Posted: 11 Mar 2009 08:22 AM PDT
Wednesday,
March 11, 2009
Newswise – A recent study of 20 people suffering from lupus nephritis,
a severe kidney disorder, who were all high risk cases for kidney failure,
were given the cancer drug Rituxan. Of these patients, 60 percent showed
significant signs of improvement. If this study can be replicated in
larger numbers, it could translate into an FDA approval of Rituxan for
lupus patients. If so, it would break a 50-year record of no new drugs
having been approved by the U.S. Food and Health Administration specifically
for lupus.
read more
Facebook,
Twitter, Bloggers, and Advocates on Capitol Hill Create the Largest
Lupus Advocacy Day in LFA History
The real and virtual world came together on March 3, making the Eleventh
Annual Advocacy Day the largest and most successful in LFA history.
We used social media and the Internet to spread the word and encourage
people to get involved. E-cards were sent to our constituents with suggestions
on how they could help, and we asked them to send their own e-cards
to friends and family. We asked people to change their Facebook status,
post information on their blogs, and use Twitter to keep everyone updated
on Advocacy Day activities. A sea of advocates covered in purple also
descended on Capitol Hill delivering the same message to Members of
Congress -- federal funding for lupus research must be increased.Read
more >>
FY 2009
Omnibus Appropriations Act Includes Increases for Programs Advocated
by the LFA
The United States Senate today passed appropriations
legislation which funds much of the federal government through the end
of September. The bill provides $4 million to support the National Lupus
Patient Registry, as part of a broader national epidemiological study
on lupus, and $1 million for a national health provider education program
to improve early diagnosis and treatment of lupus and reduce health
disparities. The legislation also includes nearly $1 billion more for
the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the largest single source for
funding for biomedical research on lupus.
Read more >>
LFA Applauds
President Obama's Decision Regarding Stem Cell Research
In keeping with the Foundation’s policy of supporting responsible and
ethical stem cell research, the Lupus Foundation of America, Inc. applauds
President Barack Obama’s decision to lift restrictions on federal funding
of research on embryonic stem cell lines already in existence, as well
as ones yet to be created. In addition, the LFA praises the President
for issuing a Presidential Memorandum directing the head of the White
House Office of Science and Technology Policy to ensure that future
government decisions regarding medical research are subject to established
and accepted scientific processes and made by individuals who possess
appropriate scientific and academic credentials.
Read more >>
Lupus
Foundation of America Applauds President Obama for Creating Council
on Women and Girls
The Lupus Foundation of America applauds
President Obama for raising the level of national attention and focus
on issues facing girls and women, by creating a White House Council
on Women and Girls. The Council will be chaired by Valerie Jarrett,
a senior advisor and friend to the President. According to a memo released
about the Council, "The mission of the Council will be to provide a
coordinated federal response to the challenges confronted by women and
girls and to ensure that all Cabinet and Cabinet-level agencies consider
how their policies impact women and families." Lupus is a disease that
predominately affects women, and we believe this is an important step
in improving the health and well-being of American girls and women.
Research Money in Economic Stimulus Package
Available for Lupus
Posted: 09 Mar 2009 09:22 AM PDT The National
Institutes of Health (NIH) is reserving $200 million of its economic
stimulus funding from the "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of
2009," which was signed by President Barack Obama on February 17, to
support approximately 200 Challenge
Grants in Health and Science Research.
The deadline for electronic grant applications
is April 27, 2009. Successful grantees are expected to receive
funding by September 30. Budgets are limited to $500,000 per year
for a two-year maximum total of $1 million.
read more
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40 Percent Of People With Lupus Have Kidney Involvement
Lupus is an unpredictable and potentially fatal autoimmune disease
that affects an estimated 1.5 million Americans. The kidneys
will be affected in approximately 40 percent of adults and as
many as two-thirds of the children with lupus.
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09 Mar 2009
|
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Rituximab Reduces Kidney Inflammation In Patients With Lupus
Treatment with the targeted drug rituximab can significantly
benefit some patients with severe lupus nephritis who do not
respond to conventional therapy, according to a study appearing
in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American
Society Nephrology (CJASN).
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05 Mar 2009
|
Additional
Research News Articles
can be found @
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/newssearch.php?keywords=lupus
|
