Lupus Research Alliance Spearheads Groundbreaking Lupus Nexus Foundational Analyses to Accelerate Personalized Lupus Treatments and a Cure

Largest private funder of lupus research initiates major efforts to integrate numerous biospecimen analyses with clinical data and patient-reported outcomes to accelerate lupus research

NEW YORK, May 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lupus Research Alliance (LRA) today announced the launch of the Lupus Nexus Foundational Analyses, a major scientific initiative aimed at creating one of the most comprehensive and accessible lupus research datasets ever assembled. This effort will generate numerous molecular datasets using biospecimens collected through the Lupus Landmark Study, a key component of the Lupus Nexus. These molecular datasets, integrated with robust clinical data, including both clinician- and patient-reported outcomes, represent a first for a private nonprofit in the lupus research space.

Lupus is a complex, chronic autoimmune disease that affects multiple organs and presents differently in each individual. Despite decades of research, major gaps remain in understanding the heterogeneity of lupus, which has limited the development of personalized treatments. To help address these gaps, the LRA launched the Lupus Nexus in 2023, a unique registry, biorepository, and information exchange platform called the DREAM (Data Repository, Exchange and Analytics platforM) to catalyze research and accelerate precision medicine in lupus.

The Foundational Analyses comprise the next major milestone in the Lupus Nexus program and are being conducted in collaboration with Azenta, Cmbio (formerly known as CosmosID), iRepertoire, LabCorp, MitogenDx/University of Calgary, Sano Genetics, and Standard BioTools. While individual analyses such as whole genome sequencing, RNA sequencing, proteomics, and microbiome profiling are well-established, the Lupus Nexus Foundational Analyses are notable for the integration of multiple high-impact, scientific data types with detailed clinician- and patient-reported outcomes. 

"The Foundational Analyses are a bold investment in the future of lupus research and a major milestone for the Lupus Nexus," said Devon Kelly, Director of the Lupus Nexus at the LRA. "By pairing molecular analyses with clinical context, we're giving scientists the tools they need to generate new hypotheses and ultimately drive meaningful breakthroughs for people living with lupus."

The Foundational Analyses datasets will provide another layer of depth and value to the Lupus Nexus and will begin to be available through the DREAM by the end of 2025 with additional data releases in subsequent years. Researchers will have access to all raw data, those generated by the Foundational Analyses, as well as other data generated from the use of Lupus Nexus biospecimens to support custom studies and foster new discoveries.

"The Lupus Nexus represents a transformative shift in how we approach both lupus research and care," said Virginia Pascual, M.D., Gale and Ira Drukier Director of Children's Health Research and Professor of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medical College. "Now, with the addition of Foundational Analyses, researchers will, for the first time, have access to molecular data integrated with real-world data. This will help us understand why lupus presents so differently from one patient to the next, and how we can begin to tailor treatments to individuals."

Initial data from the Lupus Nexus will be presented at the 16th International Congress on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (LUPUS 2025) in Toronto on May 20, 2025 (abstract #PV153). For more information about the Lupus Nexus, visit www.lupusnexus.org.

About Lupus
Lupus is a chronic, complex autoimmune disease that affects millions of people worldwide. The immune system, which normally protects against infection, produces autoantibodies that mistakenly target the body's own tissues—leading to damage in the kidneys, brain, heart, lungs, skin, blood, and joints. Lupus disproportionately affects women (90%), typically between ages 15 and 45, and has a higher prevalence and severity among Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian, and Pacific Islander populations.

About the Lupus Research Alliance
The Lupus Research Alliance is the world's largest non-governmental, nonprofit funder of lupus research. The organization aims to transform treatment by funding the most innovative science, supporting research talent, and advancing discovery toward better diagnostics, improved treatments, and ultimately, a cure. Because all administrative and fundraising costs are covered by the Board of Directors, 100% of all donations go directly to support lupus research programs.

To learn more or donate, visit LupusResearch.org, and follow us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Rebekah Barnes
Lupus Research Alliance
[email protected]

SOURCE Lupus Research Alliance