Standard treatments for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), like antimalarial and immunosuppressive drugs, do not show much success in reducing disease severity, and glucocorticoids often cause harmful side effects. Biological treatments like belimumab (brand name Benlysta) have shown promise, but in a clinical trial, only 60 percent of people with SLE responded to belimumab treatment. This may be due to the heterogeneity of lupus—how it varies from person to person. Dr. Alarcón-Riquelme previously grouped people with SLE into one of four clusters based on their molecular features. She will now test whether these previously identified molecular groups can predict how a person with SLE responds to biological therapy. 

 

Call: Lupus Innovation Award

Funding entity: Lupus Reseach Alliance

Center: GENYO

Principal Investigator: Dr. Marta E. Alarcón 

More information: https://www.lupusresearch.org/for-researchers/funded-research/grant/predicting-response-and-non-response-to-therapy-in-sle/

 

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