The Lupus Landmark Study, a ground-breaking observational research study designed to hasten the discovery of individualized medicines for lupus patients, has been officially launched, according to the Lupus Research Alliance and its clinical research associate Lupus Therapeutics. In total, 3,500 adults with systemic lupus erythematosus will be prospectively recruited for this study, the largest lupus study of its kind. The Lupus Nexus, a cutting-edge collaborative research resource with a patient-centric focus, includes the Lupus Landmark Study as a vital component.
The Lupus Nexus’s mission is to revolutionize lupus research and treatment development by enabling unparalleled information exchange. The platform will offer an inclusive, collaborative solution for various patient populations that are disproportionately impacted by lupus. To spur international cooperation, innovation, and precision medicine strategies in the field of lupus, the Lupus Nexus will serve as a source of well-curated clinical data, patient-reported data, biological samples, and raw analyzed data. Through their participation in the Lupus Landmark Study, people with lupus will continue to be at the centre of this initiative, having been instrumental in the development of the Lupus Nexus. Their participation will produce the data required to support patient-centric treatments and give individuals better access to their own individualized health information.
The Lupus Nexus will support both clinical development and discovery research. To identify and validate drug targets, biomarkers, and hypotheses, researchers will compare the data from the Landmark Study with data from analyzed biosamples. The ultimate objective is to understand disease heterogeneity and develop more efficient lupus diagnostic, prognostic, and treatment approaches.
Teodora Staeva, Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of the Lupus Research Alliance, expressed her excitement about the launch of the Lupus Landmark Study as the initial phase of the Lupus Nexus. She emphasized the importance of increased collaboration and data sharing among the global lupus research communities. Sam Lim, the lead researcher of the Lupus Landmark Study, added that the study, along with the Lupus Nexus, aims to facilitate the development of additional medicines that enable more individualized care for lupus patients, while also providing better data.
The Lupus Landmark Study and Lupus Nexus are integral components of the ambitious Strategic Plan for research outlined by the Lupus Research Alliance. This plan aims to address critical needs in advancing lupus research, including defining lupus heterogeneity, categorizing patients based on active disease mechanisms, and fostering collaborative international research and technology teams. In the upcoming months, the Lupus Therapeutics Lupus Clinical Investigators Network will initiate recruitment for the Lupus Landmark Study, with a wider implementation scheduled to commence in 2024.
The Lupus Landmark Study and the Lupus Nexus represent significant advancements in lupus research and treatment development. With their patient-centric focus and collaborative approach, these initiatives aim to revolutionize the field by facilitating information exchange, promoting international cooperation, and leveraging data to support individualized care for lupus patients.
Reference
- Lupus Research Alliance and its Clinical Research Affiliate Lupus Therapeutics Launch the Lupus Landmark Study to Accelerate Personalized Treatments in Lupus. https://www.lupusresearch.org/lupus-research-alliance-and-its-clinical-research-affiliate-lupus-therapeutics-launch-the-lupus-landmark-study-to-accelerate-personalized-treatments-in-lupus/