Exciting Research News from 13th International Congress on Lupus

The global lupus community gathered this past weekend at the 13th International Congress on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) and many world-renowned lupus researchers presented findings from critical research at the meeting. The LFA’s Inside Lupus Research^SM news team also was there, reporting live on the latest lupus science that matters to you most. 

The meeting, entitled “LUPUS 2019: Gateway to the Future”, was full of exciting news on such topics as worldwide representation on clinical trials, disease heterogeneity, patient engagement, and precision medicine. Here’s a glimpse of some of the research our Inside Lupus Research team shared on Twitter from #LUPUS2019:

Treatment

• Small trial of Xencor's investigational lupus therapy XmAb5871, designed to minimize background medications to help improve data interpretation, showed promising results in a clinical trial.
• FDA approved Acthar® Gel in vitro studies indicate the therapy activates production of normal B cells. In people with lupus, B cells can produce autoantibodies which cause inflammation and tissue damage.
• Dr. Joan T. Merrill, Lupus Foundation of America Chief Advisor, Clinical Development gave an update on an investigational global study of oral TYK2 inhibitor (blocks cytokine signaling pathways key to SLE pathophysiology) with BMS-986165: a phase 2 trial is underway and eagerly awaited by the lupus research community.
• Kezar reported trial news of its compound KZR-616, showing promise blocking disease progression of lupus.
• Dr. Eric Morand discussed the potential of lupus low disease activity state as an outcome measure in clinical trials.
• Patients reaffirmed the importance of focusing on fatigue as a study endpoint in future clinical research.
• Amgen released findings that show AMG 570, which targets both the T cell and B cell pathways, to be more effective than single target inhibition in mouse lupus models. The researchers also shared that single doses of AMG 570 were safe and well-tolerated by healthy subjects.

Disease management

• UC San Francisco researchers presented findings on organ damage among ethnic people and revealed that blacks are more likely to have skin damage and glucocorticoid-related damage, and whites more likely to have a history of cancer.
• Lupus study on premature mortality found the disease ranks among the top 15 leading causes-of-death in women 15-44 years old, and 10th among women 15-24 years.
• We shared results of a new study the Lupus Foundation of America supported confirming high rates of diagnosed and undiagnosed mental health problems among youth with lupus.
• A new survey indicates a rise in the SLE prevalence rate from 2001 to 2011.
• Among African Americans with lupus, awareness about disparities increases knowledge and promotes care-seeking behaviors. A community engagement model for addressing this was shared at the meeting.
• Research finds the addition of corticosteroids plus standard therapy of low dose aspirin could be effective for improving outcomes in pregnant women with antiphospholipid syndrome.

Basic Science

• Dr. Gary Gilkeson shared an update on the application of allogenic mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of refractory lupus. No serious adverse events were attributed to the stem cells in Phase I, and Phase II is now underway with funding support from the Lupus Foundation of America.
• Several researchers presented new information made possible by the Accelerating Medicines Partnership, which is partially funded by the Lupus Foundation of America. Researchers examined kidney biopsies from people with lupus nephritis and gained a better understanding about how immune cells play a role in lupus nephritis. The results are significant and should help researchers ultimately identify new ways to treat lupus nephritis.
• A longitudinal cohort study suggested that vertebral and peripheral fractures among people with lupus could be twice as high compared to the general population.
• New B-cell (the cells that produce autoantibodies that can cause inflammation and tissue damage) response research was shared at the meeting. The Lupus Foundation of America supported the study and Jennie Hamilton, a Lupus Foundation of America Finzi Student Fellowship Awardee, contributed to the research.
• Lupus Foundation of America grantee, Dr. Bruce Richardson, shared new research on how T-cells (a type of white blood cell that is of key importance to the immune system) contribute to onset of lupus flares. The Lupus Foundation of America also supported the study.