Lupus Foundation of America Research Showcased at 2025 American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting

Studies highlight insights and innovations to advance lupus care

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) and its funded researchers will unveil the latest advances in patient-centered research at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Convergence 2025 meeting in Chicago, IL, taking place October 24-29. The presented research will spotlight bold efforts to broaden representation in lupus clinical trials, harness digital health innovations, and accelerate the future of lupus research and care.

"The Lupus Foundation of America is thrilled to showcase a broad range of lupus research at ACR this year, from digital tools and education programs to studies amplifying the voices of people with lupus," said Joy Buie, PhD, MSCR, RN, Vice President of Research, the Lupus Foundation of America. "Each abstract shows how we're moving the field forward and making sure every person with lupus can feel represented in the future of lupus research and care."

Increasing Representation in Clinical Trials
The study "Increasing Participation in the FT819 Cell Therapy Trial Amongst People Living with Lupus: A Focus Group Study," conducted by the LFA, is the first in a series of focus groups with people living with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) to explore attitudes and perceptions toward CAR T-cell therapy clinical trials, specifically the Fate Therapeutics FT819 product. Focus group participants highlighted perceived benefits such as improved quality of life, potential for remission, and a relatively short hospital stay, while also expressing concerns regarding potential side effects, chemotherapy or mycophenolate requirements, long-term effectiveness, logistical and financial challenges, and hospital care quality.

In the study "Improving Participation in The Lupus Foundation of America's Research Accelerated by You (RAY) Patient Registry By Understanding Patient Preference in Communication Strategies," researchers examined racial disparities in RAY registry representation. Despite Black/African American (B/AA) individuals making up 30 – 43% of the overall population living with lupus, only 16% of RAY participants identify as B/AA. Through focus groups and interviews, the study found that building trust, ensuring clear communication from healthcare providers, and using culturally relevant messaging and imagery are essential to making clinical research more accurate, accessible and inclusive.

The survey "Assessing Participation in the Lupus Sister Circle Support Group" evaluated the LFA's virtual support group, launched in 2021 to meet the unique needs of Black/African American women living with lupus who have historically had the poorest outcomes and carry the highest burden of the disease. Responses revealed high levels of satisfaction, with an average rating of 4.61 out of 5, emphasizing the important role that culturally tailored peer support groups play in improving quality of life.

Dr.Joy Buie will moderate the presentation "Improving Participation in Clinical Trials Among Underrepresented Populations." This session will describe challenges in recruitment and participation in rheumatology clinical trials among underrepresented populations including Hispanic and Indigenous populations, with ideas on increasing patient representation to improve health outcomes in diverse populations.

Digital Health Innovations
The poster "Implementation of a Lupus Self-Management mHealth App: Using Incentives to Drive Engagement" will highlight the LFA's Strategies to Embrace Living with Lupus Fearlessly (SELF) app. The study ran two promotions on social media to raise awareness and encourage engagement on SELF. The first promotion recruited over 1,700 new users and the second increased retention among all participating users. By understanding the best way to raise awareness and engagement on mobile health apps, the LFA increases opportunities for people with lupus to learn ways to better manage their disease digitally.

An abstract titled "Assessing the Reach of a Virtual Education Program: Lupus & You: Answers. Advocacy. Action." reviews the growth of the LFA's Lupus & You virtual education series. Over the past four years, the program has reached more than 20,000 registrants. Results underscore the ongoing need for accessible, virtual educational opportunities for people with lupus and those connected to the disease.

Shaping the Future of Lupus Research
Results from "Creating an EHR Lupus Outreach Dashboard to Address Care Gaps," a multidisciplinary study led by Dr. Christie Bartels at University of Wisconsin-Madison and included the LFA's Dr. Buie among other experts, describes the adaptation of a proven HIV care intervention into a lupus-specific electronic health record dashboard. The tool identifies patients overdue for visits or lab work and incorporates outreach letters and reminders tailored for people with lupus. This innovative approach has the potential to transform lupus care delivery and close persistent gaps in access to high-quality care.

Finally, the LFA, in partnership with Wayfinder Health Strategies and Emory University, will be presenting a session titled "Implementation Science in Action: Peer Support Strategies for Digital Lupus Self-Management Programs." Building from a past lupus case study, the discussion will show how implementation science can be applied across rheumatology to close the gap between research and practice. The session will also demonstrate how strategies such as peer support can sustain digital health programs and improve care.

Supporting Early Career Scientists

Additionally, studies from the LFA-funded researchers will be presented during the annual meeting including:

• Abhimanyu Amarnani, MD, PhD -Role of a Pathogenic Bacterial Factor Produced by a Human Gut Pathobiont in Inducing Platelet Activation and Thrombo-Inflammation
• Rashmi Dhital, MD -Racial Differences in Cardiovascular Events and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes Among Pregnant Individuals with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
• Siva Kasinathan, MD, PhD -Protein-Coding Somatic Genetic Variation in Lymphocytes in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
• Liyoung Kim, MD -Immune Cell/Pathway-Specific Polygenic Scores Reveal Immune Pathway Associations in Childhood-Onset Lupus Nephritis
• Arielle Mendel, MD, MSc -Increased Recombinant Zoster Vaccination in SLE following Public Reimbursement: Data from Two Prospective SLE Cohorts; Humoral Immune Responses to Real-World Recombinant Zoster Vaccination in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
• Jane Salmon, MD -Certolizumab Pegol to Prevent Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes in Patients with Antiphospholipid Syndrome and Lupus Anticoagulant (IMPACT): Results from Ongoing Recruitment of a Prospective, Single-Arm, Open-Label, Phase 2 Trial
• Grace Crossland -MAIT Cell-mediated Immune Modulation in Lupus: Antigen-Driven Expansion as a Protective Strategy
• Alicia Tran (student of Linda Hiraki, MD, ScD, 2023 Pediatric Lupus Research Grant awardee) -Ethnic Disparities in Mental Health Screening, Diagnoses, and Outcomes in Patients with Childhood-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

During the ACR Meeting, the Lupus Foundation of America will share real-time updates on groundbreaking scientific initiatives, trending research, and breaking news. Stay connected with the latest conference highlights and key findings by following the LFA on LinkedIn.

About the Lupus Foundation of America

The Lupus Foundation of America is the premier patient advocacy organization devoted to solving the mystery of lupus, a devastating autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks organs throughout the body, while giving caring support to those who suffer from its brutal impact. Through a comprehensive program of research, education, and advocacy, we lead the fight to improve the quality of life for all people affected by lupus. Learn more about the Lupus Foundation of America at lupus.org.

Contact:

Mike Donnelly

[email protected]

(202) 349-1162

SOURCE Lupus Foundation of America, Inc.