RESEARCH & NEWS

Study Shows Key Differences Between Males and Females with Lupus

A recent study shows the key differences between males and females with lupus. While socioeconomic factors continue to exist as a barrier, the study found major clinical and health literacy differences between male and female lupus patients.

Researchers studied 1,462 people (126 males and 1,336 females) with lupus in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) All of Us Research Program. The study described and compared characteristics of males and females with lupus by analyzing electronic health record and survey data. Researchers examined disease manifestations, prescribed medications and socioeconomic factors, including health literacy and healthcare access.

The study revealed several differences in disease signs and symptoms, healthcare experiences, and health outcomes between males and females. Notably, males reported lower educational attainment and had significantly less confidence in completing medical forms than females. The findings suggest disproportionately poorer health literacy in males with lupus, which may lead to worse health outcomes. Additionally, myocardial infarction, or heart attacks, were significantly more common in males, while reported levels of fatigue among males were lower.

The study also uncovered commonalities among males and females with lupus. Namely, barriers to healthcare access and utilization were common in both males (40%) and females (47%). Additionally, delays in seeking care were also common across races. However, only females of races other than Black/African American and White specifically reported delayed care due to cultural differences with more frequency.

There are approximately 1.5 million people in the United States with lupus, but only about 10% of them are men. Men with lupus are an understudied demographic, and the findings from this study contribute to the small, but growing, amount of research exploring differences between males and females living with the disease. Future studies will need to include more men to better understand the variety of issues that influence lupus and how it affects their healthcare.

Learn more about men’s health and special considerations with lupus: https://lupusgreaterohio. org/study-shows-key-differencesbetween-males-and-females-withlupus/

Anifrolumab (SAPHNELO®) Associated with Low Lupus Disease Activity

In further Phase 3 TULIP trial research of anifrolumab, commonly known as SAPHNELO®, people with lupus taking the drug experienced earlier, more frequent, and more prolonged and sustained low lupus disease activity (LLDAS). Typically, low disease activity levels help improve outcomes in people with lupus.

Researchers analyzed 52-weeks of TULIP-1 and TULIP-2 trial data from 819 people with moderate to severe lupus who received anifrolumab or placebo. At 52 weeks:

• 25% of study participants attained LLDAS and improvements were 3x greater among those who attained LLDAS compared to those who did not

• 30% saw increased time in LLDAS and sustained LLDAS

• 15.3% attained remission by week 52

LLDAS is defined by several key measurable requirements that indicate low disease activity level. In this study, the researchers used the British Isles Lupus Assessment Group-based Composite Lupus Assessment (BICLA) score and the SLE Responder Index-4 (SRI(4)) to assess efficacy.

Anifrolumab continues to prove an effective treatment for lupus. Additionally, this study suggests that remission is an attainable goal with the use of targeted therapies in lupus and further analyses of remission attainment in this trial are planned.

Learn more about treatments being studied for lupus: https:// lupusgreaterohio.org/anifrolumab-saphnelo-associated-with-low-lupus-disease-activity/

New Investigational Drug for Systemic and Cutaneous Lupus Advancing to Phase I Clinical Trials

Ventus Therapeutics Inc. has announced the development of VENT-03, a potential first-in-class drug designed to target cGAS, a cell receptor linked to lupus and a broad range of other diseases including neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. This will be the first drug of its kind to advance into clinical development, and it will enter its first Phase I trial. cGAS is thought to be involved in both systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE), and the latest news marks an exciting step forward in lupus drug development.

Last year, Ventus received a Lupus Research Program Idea Award from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to study the cGAS inhibitor as a potential treatment for lupus. The Lupus Foundation of America’s (LFA) advocacy efforts and strong community of advocates led the fight in establishing the DoD Lupus Research Program in 2017, successfully advocating each year for continued funding of this critical program. To date, the program has provided more than $76 million to fund high-impact, high-quality studies to help find ways to diagnose and treat lupus more effectively.

Continue to follow the LFA for updates on VENT-03 and learn more about medications used to treat lupus: https://lupusgreaterohio.org/ new-investigational-drug-for-systemic-and-cutaneous-lupus-advancing-to-phase-i-clinical-trials/