Autoimmune Disease News and Research

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Autoimmune Disease is a condition in which the body recognizes its own tissues as foreign and directs an immune response against them.

Accentia, Johns Hopkins co-host meeting with prospective clinical trial investigators at AAN meeting

Accentia Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the Company and leading physicians from Johns Hopkins University co-hosted a meeting with prospective clinical trial investigators at the recent American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting in New Orleans.

7 May 2012

AHA recognizes HHS’ Charla de Lupus program with HAVE

The American Hospital Association (AHA) has recognized Hospital for Special Surgery's Charla de Lupus (Lupus Chat) program with its Hospital Award for Volunteer Excellence.

5 May 2012

LRI applauds ACR colleagues for new lupus nephritis guidelines

The Lupus Research Institute (LRI) applauds our colleagues at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) for issuing new guidelines to help healthcare professionals screen, diagnose and treat lupus nephritis, a type of kidney disease associated with lupus. Available on the ACR website, the new guidelines are just published in the April 2012 issue of Arthritis Care & Research.

5 May 2012

Idera to present data from IMO-8400 preclinical studies on SLE, psoriasis at AAI meeting

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it will be presenting data from preclinical studies of its Toll-like receptor (TLR) inhibitor, IMO-8400, in models of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and psoriasis, which suggest that IMO-8400 may be useful for the treatment of both indications.

2 May 2012

Oral bacteria may cause problems in arthritis patients

The culprit behind a failed hip or knee replacements might be found in the mouth. DNA testing of bacteria from the fluid that lubricates hip and knee joints had bacteria with the same DNA as the plaque from patients with gum disease and in need of a joint replacement.

19 Apr 2012

Idera commences IMO-3100 Phase 2 clinical trial for psoriasis

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the treatment of the first patient in a Phase 2 clinical trial of IMO-3100, the Company's lead Toll-like receptor (TLR) inhibitor for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

18 Apr 2012

Two related enzymes play a key role in development of T-ALL

Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) scientists have demonstrated that two related enzymes - phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) gamma and delta - play a key role in the development of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), a highly aggressive childhood leukemia that is difficult to treat.

17 Apr 2012

Steroids still work better for patients with sciatica

Despite the great promise that injecting a new type of anti-inflammatory pain medicine into the spine could relieve the severe leg and lower back pain of sciatica, a Johns Hopkins-led study has found that the current standard of care with steroid injections still does better.

17 Apr 2012

TGF-β molecule ramps up the immune system in some cases and suppress it in others

Loyola researchers are reporting surprising findings about a molecule that helps ramp up the immune system in some cases and suppress it in others.

16 Apr 2012

New method for direct identification of antigens

The immune system is a vital part of our defenses against pathogens, but it can also attack host tissues, resulting in autoimmune disease. The antigens that induce destructive immune reactions can now be identified directly - without any prior knowledge of their possible structure.

11 Apr 2012

Five significant genetic associations for hypothyroidism found

Using its unique online research platform, 23andMe, a leading personal genetics company, has found five significant genetic associations for hypothyroidism in the largest known genome-wide association study of hypothyroidism conducted to date. The details of the study are now available online in the journal PLoS ONE.

9 Apr 2012

Swedish Neuroscience Institute to open new MS Center

Swedish Neuroscience Institute (SNI) will open its new MS Center at Swedish to patients on April 9. Carefully designed for easy accessibility and to promote the well-being of people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), the new 11,700-square-foot center gives SNI the ability to consolidate all of its MS services into one facility.

7 Apr 2012

TV star stars as "Autoimmune Walk" ambassador

Beloved actress and star of ER, Life Goes On, Christy and the Mystery Woman series will begin a guest starring stint on the Lifetime hit Army Wives this Sunday, April 8.

6 Apr 2012

Researchers uncover mechanism that explains link between autoimmunity and atherosclerosis

Patients with autoimmune diseases often show a predisposition to develop "hardening of the arteries" or atherosclerosis. LMU researchers have now uncovered a mechanism that establishes a causal link between the two disorders.

5 Apr 2012

Nuvilex realizes important role for Cell-in-a-Box technology

Nuvilex, Inc., an emerging biotechnology provider of cell and gene therapy solutions through acquisition of SG Austria assets, realizes the important role for Cell-in-a-Box technology and aims to bring to light its use in the production of therapeutic antibodies for clinically important diseases.

4 Apr 2012

Rare T follicular helper cells essential for developing antibody responses to infectious agents

The characterisation of a rare immune cell's involvement in antibody production and ability to 'remember' infectious agents could help to improve vaccination and lead to new treatments for immune disorders, say researchers from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute.

2 Apr 2012

New guidelines offer guidance on how and when to switch between RA drug classes

A trend toward more aggressive treatment in patients just starting to develop rheumatoid arthritis is among the most important changes in treatment guidelines for the disease, according to updated American College of Rheumatology recommendations published today in the journal Arthritis Care & Research. The trend may proceed from emerging opinions that joint damage caused by RA is irreversible, and that early, intensive therapy better preserves physical function, quality of life and capacity to work.

2 Apr 2012

Study confirms link between breast cancer and autoimmune arthritis

New research shows it may be no accident when doctors observe how patients suffering from both breast cancer and arthritis seem to have more aggressive cancer. However, the new-found interaction between the two diseases may also suggest a possible treatment.

2 Apr 2012