In 2018 the Lupus Research Alliance has taken daring chances, pursued bold initiatives, and made tremendous strides! We truly are breaking through on many pioneering fronts of lupus research — thanks to the unwavering generosity of donors at all levels of support.

Throughout the year, the brilliant scientists we brought to the table ushered in discovery after discovery. These minds — the world’s best and brightest — have helped the Lupus Research Alliance break through in directions that once were considered impossible.

But battling lupus takes more than fostering the most innovative lupus research. That’s why we advocated —from the halls of Congress to the homes of average Americans — for greater lupus awareness and funding. We proved that everyone could become powerful catalysts for change.

Our groundbreaking discoveries helped to broaden the basic knowledge of this disease for the entire lupus community, illuminating multiple paths to new treatments. And we made important gains toward our ultimate aim: Finding a cure for the millions living with lupus worldwide.

Second only to the National Institutes of Health in funding, the Lupus Research Alliance has invested more than $200 million in lupus research programs and delivered breakthroughs that are speeding up the development of new treatments.

Breaking Through … Investing in Trailblazing Research

As the world’s largest private funder of lupus research, the Lupus Research Alliance funded 15 scientists to conduct promising investigations in three critical areas:

• 7 scientists received $4.2 million in grants through our two-year Target Identification in Lupus grant program. Supporting highly meritorious research, this program aims to discover molecular pathways and therapeutic targets that will lead to new treatments.
• Our Novel Research Grant Program awarded $1.8 million for 6 high-risk, high-reward, original research projects relevant to basic, translational, and clinical investigations in lupus.
• The Dr. William E. Paul Distinguished Innovator Award in Lupus and Autoimmunity challenged 2 extraordinary scientists to pursue innovative, hypothesis- or discovery-driven projects with $1 million in grants.

Breaking Through … Accelerating Drug Development

Comprised of leading lupus experts at academic research centers throughout North America, our Lupus Clinical Investigators Network (LuCIN) program provides an invaluable framework to test potential new treatments.

The scope of the eight clinical trials currently underway is wide ranging — from evaluating a new app aiming to help patients report their symptoms more accurately in real time, to testing new and existing drugs as potential treatments for lupus.

Breaking new ground and attracting new researchers are part of LuCIN’s aim to advance quality research. LuCIN is administered by Lupus Therapeutics, an affiliate of the Lupus Research Alliance.

Breaking Through … In the Community

Launched in 2018, our new online Lupus Community Forum is helping lupus patients and their loved ones make stronger connections with the greater lupus community. Participants learn what others are saying about matters that are critical to their lives. It is a place to give and receive support … and provide and gain new perspectives. Community is a destination for discussion. Join the conversation and discover information on important matters that are a part of your life.

Breaking Through … Celebrating Outstanding Efforts

The achievements of lupus research giant, John D. Mountz, MD, PhD, to accelerate the development of new treatment options were recognized by the Lupus Research Alliance. Dr. Mountz is the recipient of the Dr. William E. Paul Distinguished Innovator Award in Lupus and Autoimmunity.

Dr. Mountz explains what this grant means to lupus research:

“The Lupus Research Alliance allows for more novel approaches — such as the investigation I am conducting — which is far from mainstream. The thing is — if we see evidence for something — we have to take a chance. And this is exactly what the Lupus Research Alliance allows researchers like me to do.

We have to build on new ideas, on new data, on new discussions. With the backing of this incredible organization, I am confident that my colleagues and I will break through to new treatment options and a cure for lupus.”

Breaking Through … Transforming Goodwill into Research

If there is one thing that the Lupus Research Alliance has learned, it’s that there is power in numbers — and we need no greater proof than our Walk with Us to Cure Lupus events.

Walkers are passionate about ending lupus because many of them are personally affected. They may walk because a sister, mother, daughter, wife, or colleague has lupus — or they may walk because they have lupus themselves.

Such passion has generated nearly $3 million in 2018. Even more remarkable is the fact that since this grassroots fundraiser began, a cumulative total of nearly $39 million has been raised for critical lupus initiatives from these supporters.

Breaking Through … Advocating for Lupus Research

When the Lupus Research Alliance speaks out and advocates for greater funds for lupus research … people listen. The effort we lead at the House and Senate level has resulted in a $5 million budget for the Lupus Research Program administered by the Department of Defense. An additional $2 billion was granted to the NIH to advance medical research, including lupus research.

To date we have secured $15 million to fund the Lupus Research Program within the Department of Defense, and 13 exciting scientific projects are underway.