Lupus News and Research

Latest Lupus News and Research

Scientists identify new pathway to control immune balance

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have identified a new pathway that helps control the immune balance through reciprocal regulation of specialized T lymphocytes, which play very different inflammatory roles.

21 Sep 2010

Arrayit installs microarray platform at NIH

Arrayit Corporation has completed installation and technical training of its proprietary microarray platform at the National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, in Rockville, Maryland. In 2010, the NIH will invest more than $31.2 billion in medical research for the American people through 50,000 competitive grants to 325,000 researchers at 3,000 universities, hospitals, companies, medical schools and scientific institutions in the United States and around the world.

21 Sep 2010

Pollution increases risk for sudden cardiac arrest

The fine particles of pollution that hang in the air can increase the risk for sudden cardiac arrest, according to a new study conducted by a team from Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Medical Center and The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research.

21 Sep 2010

Researchers identify risk gene for schizophrenia

An international team of researchers has identified a risk gene for schizophrenia, including a potentially causative mutation, using genome-wide association data-mining techniques and independent replications.

15 Sep 2010

Questcor Pharmaceuticals provides update on sNDA for H.P. Acthar Gel

Questcor Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has informed Questcor that the FDA will require additional time beyond the current action date of September 11, 2010 to complete its review of Questcor's supplemental new drug application for H.P. Acthar Gel (repository corticotropin injection) in the treatment of infantile spasms.

9 Sep 2010

Scientists discover molecular gatekeeper for arthritis

Elimination of a molecular gatekeeper leads to the development of arthritis in mice, scientists report in a study published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine. The newly discovered gatekeeper is a protein that determines the fate survival or death of damaging cells that mistakenly attack the body's own tissues and lead to autoimmune disorders such as arthritis.

9 Sep 2010

La Jolla Pharmaceutical seeks clinical product for lupus treatment

La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company provided an update today that the Company is actively seeking and evaluating potential pharmaceutical products for in-licensing or acquisition and has engaged consultants to determine whether there is any potential for the further development of Riquent for the treatment of lupus.

8 Sep 2010

FDA grants IRIS clearance for analysis of synovial fluid with iQ200, iRICELL automated microscopy analyzers

IRIS International, Inc., a leading manufacturer of automated in-vitro diagnostic systems and consumables for use in hospitals and commercial laboratories worldwide and provider of high value personalized diagnostics testing services through its CLIA certified molecular diagnostics laboratory, today announced that it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the analysis of synovial fluid as a new product application in its Body Fluids Module utilizing its iQ®200 and iRICELL® automated microscopy analyzers.

7 Sep 2010

'Aspartame danger' myths

Heard the one about how aspartame single-handedly caused the Gulf War syndrome? In recent years, outlandish allegations – often spread via the Internet by individuals who have little scientific or medical expertise – have tried to link the low-calorie sweetener to every ailment ranging from Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's disease to cancer and weight gain. However, the overwhelming body of scientific evidence via more than three decades of research and over 200 studies demonstrate that aspartame is safe.

3 Sep 2010

First direct evidence that X-linked TLR7 gene promotes lupus in humans

Lupus Research Institute-funded researcher Betty Tsao, PhD, at the University of California Los Angeles has discovered that humans-males in particular-with a variant form of the immune receptor gene "Toll Like Receptor 7 (TLR7)" are at increased risk of developing the autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus). This breakthrough finding offers renewed hope for developing more targeted treatments.

3 Sep 2010

Study demonstrates safety of cord blood stem cell transplantation protocol to treat neurological conditions

In a new peer-reviewed article published by the Journal of Translational Medicine, scientists from Beike Biotechnology,China's leading stem cell research and regenerative medicine company, and Medistem, Inc.,reported positive safety data in 114 patients who were treated by doctors at Nanshan Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical College (Shenzhen Nanshan Hospital) in Shenzhen using Beike's proprietary cord blood stem cell transplantation protocol.

3 Sep 2010

Researchers receive BioBank DNA samples to unveil psoriasis genetics

Millions of Americans struggling with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are one step closer to a cure with the release of the first National Psoriasis Victor Henschel BioBank DNA samples for use in research at the University of Michigan Health System; research that hopes to uncover the unknowns about the genetics of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

3 Sep 2010

SQI Diagnostics 2010 third quarter net loss increases to $1,613K

SQI Diagnostics Inc.,a medical systems automation company focused on evolving laboratory-based biomarker testing, today announced its financial and operational results for the third quarter ended June 30, 2010.

30 Aug 2010

Immunomedics 2010 fourth quarter revenue decreases to $0.7 million

Immunomedics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company primarily focused on the development of monoclonal, antibody-based products for the targeted treatment of cancer, autoimmune and other serious diseases, today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended June 30, 2010.

27 Aug 2010

FDA approves brand name VELETRI for Actelion's epoprostenol for injection therapy

Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc., today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the brand name VELETRI® for the company's epoprostenol for injection therapy. VELETRI has been commercially available since April 2010 as Epoprostenol for Injection for the treatment of moderate to severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and PAH associated with the scleroderma spectrum of disease. Actelion plans to release VELETRI-labeled product by early fourth quarter of 2010.

26 Aug 2010

USPTO grants Taligen patent for TT30 lead product candidate

Taligen Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing therapies that regulate the complement system to treat inflammatory and immune diseases, announced today that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued U.S. Patent No. 7,759,304, entitled "Targeting Complement Factor H For Treatment of Diseases", covering the composition of matter for its lead product candidate, TT30, a novel fusion protein that selectively binds to complement activated cells to locally regulate the complement system.

24 Aug 2010

Research finds variation in sex chromosome may cause lupus in men

Genes reside along long chains of DNA called chromosomes. UCLA researchers have found that a variation in a gene on the sex chromosome X may enhance an immune response that leads to lupus in men.

24 Aug 2010

Study finds black women with SLE develop cardiovascular disease at early age

A recent study by researchers at Penn State College of Medicine found significant racial disparities in the age of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients at the time of hospital admission for cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and CVD-related death. Black women were youngest to both be admitted with CVD and to have an in-hospital death due to CVD.

20 Aug 2010

FDA grants priority review designation of BENLYSTA for systemic lupus erythematosus treatment

Human Genome Sciences, Inc. and GlaxoSmithKline PLC today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted a priority review designation to BENLYSTA (belimumab) as a potential treatment for systemic lupus erythematosus.

20 Aug 2010

Emergent BioSolutions enters agreement to acquire Trubion Pharmaceuticals

Emergent BioSolutions Inc. announced today it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Trubion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for upfront consideration of $96.8 million of value and up to $38.7 million of success-based milestones, resulting in a total consideration of up to $135.5 million. The acquisition will diversify Emergent's product development pipeline with the addition of Trubion's two clinical-stage product candidates focused on the targeted disease areas of oncology and autoimmunity.

13 Aug 2010