Lupus Research Alliance launches first Translational Bridge Award to accelerate lupus treatments

The Lupus Research Alliance (LRA) is excited to announce the first-ever recipients of the Translational Bridge Award (TBA), established this year to accelerate the translation of groundbreaking research into potential treatments and diagnostics for lupus. The award aims to propel high-potential projects from LRA-funded foundational discoveries with strong commercialization potential or an opportunity for clinical evaluation. Five exceptional researchers have been awarded the 2024 Translational Bridge Award to tackle pressing issues, from managing pain and fatigue to developing an alternative to the widely used glucocorticoids.

Providing up to $450,000 over two years, the TBA emerged as a key initiative of LRA's newly developed Research Roadmap, an ambitious research strategy designed to integrate LRA's efforts across all stages of lupus research, from early discovery through clinical application. By funding innovative, milestone-driven projects with strong commercial or clinical potential, the TBA is driving scientific advances that can be quickly moved from the lab to the clinic, benefiting those with this complex disease.

The new Translational Bridge Award addresses a critical gap in lupus research, enabling scientists to bring their most promising ideas closer to people living with lupus. Each of the projects selected has the potential to change the way lupus is treated or diagnosed, making a tangible impact on the quality of life for millions."

Teodora Staeva, Ph.D., LRA Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer

 Read below to find out what these talented investigators aim to accomplish:

Innovating Pain and Fatigue Management

Cynthia Aranow, M.D., The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research
Joint and muscle pain, as well as fatigue, are extremely common and debilitating symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), significantly affecting quality of life even when the disease is relatively controlled. Dr. Aranow will evaluate the use of a new, non-toxic, non-painful device that stimulates the vagus nerve -;a highway that carries information to and from the brain to various internal organs-; to reduce pain and fatigue in people with SLE. This device could offer a non-drug solution that people with lupus could eventually use at home, potentially revolutionizing how these debilitating symptoms are managed.

Transforming Lupus Nephritis Diagnostics

Marcus Clark, M.D., The University of Chicago
Lupus nephritis (LN) is one of the most severe complications of lupus, often leading to kidney damage and failure. Kidney biopsies are the gold standard for diagnosis and treatment guidance but are not sensitive enough to detect meaningful changes in distinct structures of the kidney. Dr. Clark will develop an artificial intelligence tool to more precisely identify and classify immune cell states and neighborhoods (groups of cells with various functions near each other in tissue) and distinct structures in existing kidney biopsy samples. This could help doctors better predict which therapies will work best for each patient, significantly improving treatment outcomes.

Pioneering Alternatives to Glucocorticoids

Sarah Jones, Ph.D., Monash University
Glucocorticoids (steroids), though widely used to control inflammation in lupus, come with serious side effects that can worsen patients' overall health. Associate Professor Jones aims to develop a new treatment that would boost a protein called GILZ (Glucocorticoid-Induced Leucine Zipper), which offers the anti-inflammatory properties of glucocorticoids without their harmful side effects. This research could pave the way for safer, more effective lupus treatments, shifting the paradigm of how lupus is managed.

Advancing Novel Therapies for Lupus

Timothy Niewold, M.D., The Hospital for Special Surgery
While lupus treatments have advanced, there remains an urgent need for safer, more effective therapies. Dr. Niewold and his collaborator Vineet Gupta at UTMB have developed a first-of-its-kind drug called ONT01, which targets a molecule called ITGAM. He will test ONT01, which has shown promising results in mouse models, in a phase 1b trial to assess its safety in people with lupus. This trial could open the door to a new class of treatments that target lupus at the molecular level.

Unlocking the Mystery of Brain Fog in Lupus

Zahi Touma, M.D., Ph.D., University Health Network
Many people with lupus experience cognitive impairment, or "brain fog;" yet there are no reliable biomarkers to diagnose or monitor this condition. Dr. Touma previously identified two potential blood biomarkers linked to cognitive impairment in people with lupus. This project will validate these biomarkers in a new group of people with lupus, potentially leading to a new diagnostic test for neuropsychiatric lupus and enabling earlier and more accurate detection.