Each year, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Convergence brings together researchers, clinicians and advocates to share advances in rheumatology, including lupus-specific disease management, therapy and science. Held November 6–11 in Orlando, Florida, ACR Convergence 2026 highlighted new developments in lupus treatment, kidney care, clinical trials and access to care.

The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) once again actively contributed to growing lupus research, continuing to support the advancement and understanding of lupus and improving the lives of people with the disease. Members of the LFA’s Medical-Scientific Advisory Council (MSAC) and other LFA collaborators contributed to several of this year’s featured studies. 

Our Inside Lupus Research team has rounded up some of this year’s most notable lupus research findings below.

LFA-Funded Research

In addition to several LFA-authored studies and grant funded research, studies on a new potential lupus treatment and barriers to research participation were presented:

• The Phase II clinical trial of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) for refractory lupus found that a single infusion of high-dose MSCs produced treatment responses in nearly half of participants, more than double the placebo rate.
• A study conducted as part of CARE-Lupus (Community Action for Resilience Against Lupus), a study aimed at assessing risk and development of lupus over time in individuals at higher risk for developing lupus, found that personal relevance, practical feasibility and trust in the research process are key factors influencing participation in lupus prevention research.

Lupus Treatment News

New analyses of  investigational treatments highlighted progress toward better disease control and improved daily quality of life for people with lupus.

• In the phase 3 ALLEGORY trial, people with active  systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who received obinutuzumab alongside standard treatment reported greater improvements in fatigue and mental health-related quality of life at 52 weeks than those receiving placebo. The findings, co-authored by researchers including  Dr. Richard Furie and MSAC member Dr. Anca Askanase, highlight the importance of assessing how treatments affect daily life, not just disease activity.
• A further analysis of the phase 3 PHOENYCS GO trial found that more participants receiving investigational dapirolizumab pegol (DZP) plus standard therapy achieved and maintained low lupus disease activity or remission through 48 weeks than those receiving placebo. The study measured remission using the Definition of Remission in SLE (DORIS) criteria, pointing to the potential for more sustained disease control. Drs. Eric Morand, Maria Dall'Era and Michelle Petri, former LFA Evelyn V. Hess Award recipients, were all researchers on the study. 

Lupus Nephritis

Protecting kidney health remains a major priority in lupus research. Three studies explored when lasting damage begins and how new testing approaches could help clinicians better monitor treatment response.

• In a study of 451 people who developed lupus nephritis (LN) before age 50, nearly one in four experienced irreversible organ damage within three years of kidney disease onset. Greater glucocorticoid exposure and higher kidney biopsy activity scores were associated with earlier damage, underscoring the importance of controlling disease and limiting steroid exposure when possible. Researchers Dr. Zahi Touma (MSAC member) and Dr. Dafna Gladman (2016 LFA Evelyn V. Hess Award recipient) were involved in the study.
• A study co-authored by several members of the LFA’s MSAC, including Drs. Andrea Fava, Judith James, Diane Kamen and MSAC Chair Brad Rovin, analyzed urine samples from 257 people with biopsy-confirmed LN. Researchers identified proteins associated with kidney inflammation, treatment response and later kidney function loss. Some markers measured as early as three months may help predict treatment outcomes and improve how kidney disease is monitored. 
• In an ongoing phase 1/2 study involving 21 people with severe, treatment-resistant SLE or LN, researchers observed improvements in disease activity and reductions in urinary biomarkers of kidney inflammation following treatment with an investigational CAR-T cell therapy, Rapcabtagene Autoleucel. Eight of the 14 participants with protein in their urine at baseline had resolution of proteinuria by 12 months. The early findings warrant continued evaluation in larger studies.

CAR-T Cell Therapy

Researchers continue to investigate whether therapies that target and reset parts of the immune system can help people with severe lupus that has not responded to other treatments.

• Early findings involving an investigational, off-the-shelf CD19-directed CAR-T cell therapy linked improvements in fatigue with changes in certain B-cell populations. The analysis suggests these immune changes could eventually help researchers understand and measure fatigue responses in lupus. LFA MSAC member Dr. Andrea Fava and 2022 Evelyn V. Hess Award recipient Dr. Eric Morand were involved in the analysis.

Improving Lupus Clinical Trials

Researchers also shared new approaches for measuring meaningful treatment benefits, an important step toward more effective lupus trials.

• A global team that included LFA VP of Research Joy Buie and MSAC members Drs. Cynthia Aranow, Joseph Merola and Victoria Werth developed the Treatment Response Measure for SLE (TRM-SLE), with input from 125 lupus clinical experts and 27 representatives with lived experience. The measure focuses on meaningful changes in eight areas of lupus, including skin, joints and kidneys, to better capture the benefits that matter to people with lupus.
• Researchers applied the new TRM-SLE measure to data from the phase 3 PHOENYCS GO trial of DZP. It distinguished treatment response between the DZP and placebo groups, including improvement across all initially active domains in 52.5% versus 36.8% of participants. These findings support further evaluation of TRM-SLE as a practical way to assess responses to lupus treatments. Amongst the group of researchers were LFA MSAC members Drs. Cynthia Aranow and Victoria Werth.

Access to Care

• A study co-authored by Dr. Maria Dall’Era examined care for more than 11,000 Medicaid-insured people with SLE or LN. Only 41% of those with SLE without kidney involvement and 60% of those with LN received hydroxychloroquine, a foundational lupus treatment. Although researchers did not find major racial or ethnic differences in overall receipt of treatment classes, the findings point to substantial gaps in access to recommended lupus care.

Understanding Lupus Risk

• Researchers analyzed data from more than 66,000 participants to develop a risk score combining genetic, clinical, demographic and environmental factors. People classified in the highest-risk group were more likely to develop SLE than those in the lowest-risk group. While this approach is not yet a clinical screening tool, it could help inform earlier monitoring of people at elevated risk.

The findings shared at ACR Convergence 2026 reflect continued momentum toward more effective treatments, earlier identification of complications and more equitable care for people with lupus. The LFA will continue to follow these developments and share updates through Inside Lupus Research as the quest for a cure advances. Looking forward to #ACR27!