The University of Arizona Arthritis Center (UAAC) has been chosen by Lupus Therapeutics, the clinical affiliate of the Lupus Research Alliance as one of the new leading academic sites for the specialized Lupus Clinical Trials Network (LuCIN). Led by UAAC director and principal investigator C. Kent Kwoh, MD, MACR, the UAAC is one of the few LuCIN Network centers in the Southwest and the only one in Arizona/New Mexico.
LuCIN, the premier clinical research network in lupus, is made up of 50+ of the most prestigious research medical centers throughout North America. Founded and sponsored by the Lupus Research Alliance, LuCIN brings together experts to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of potential new treatments for lupus.
All faculty and fellows in the University of Arizona department of medicine/division of rheumatology -- the UAAC’s clinical arm -- will work in collaboration with faculty members, residents, and fellows in the divisions of nephrology and dermatology in this multi-specialty inter-disciplinary collaborative effort to provide access to care for the lupus community through clinical trials.
“We are honored to be selected as a LuCIN network site; this designation will allow us the ability to significantly improve the care of lupus patients throughout the Southwest,” said Kwoh.
Lupus is a chronic, complex autoimmune condition that affects millions of people worldwide. More than 90 percent of lupus patients are women, with the primary onset of disease most often occurring between the ages of 15 – 44. Lupus is two to three times more prevalent among people of color, and one in three lupus patients suffer from multiple autoimmune conditions. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) accounts for approximately 70 percent of all lupus cases. In nearly half of these cases, a major organ or tissue in the body - the heart, lungs, kidneys, or brain - will be affected. The other types of lupus include cutaneous lupus, discoid lupus, drug-induced lupus, and neonatal lupus.
The goals of LuCIN are to conduct safe and reliable clinical studies evaluating new lupus treatments; facilitate sharing of clinical and biological data to better understand lupus; and enlist patient input and diverse and equitable participation in clinical studies. Another primary objective is to identify leadership and promote collaboration throughout the lupus community of scientists, healthcare providers, and, patients and families.
The Network is also designed to advance quality lupus research by helping attract and train new clinical researchers in the field. Experienced researchers mentor junior investigators at each center, encouraging the next generation of top talent to pursue lupus research as their career path. In addition, the insights gained by a consistent group of highly experienced investigators working on the same studies are expected to improve tools used to measure the effectiveness of potential treatments.
LuCIN centers are selected through a highly rigorous site feasibility process, similar to the process that pharmaceutical and biotech companies utilize when selecting centers to participate in clinical trials.
The Lupus Research Alliance (LRA) is the largest non-governmental, non-profit funder of lupus research worldwide. The organization aims to transform treatment by funding the most innovative lupus research, fostering diverse scientific talent, and driving discovery toward better diagnostics, improved treatments and ultimately a cure for lupus. The LRA clinical research affiliate Lupus Therapeutics aims to accelerate the development of curative treatments for all patients living with lupus. Lupus Therapeutics collaborates with academic institutions, biotechnology and pharmaceutical partners through the unprecedented Lupus Clinical Investigators Network (LuCIN) to drive rapid and meaningful progress in the treatment of lupus patients. For more information, please visit the LRA at LupusResearch.org and Lupus Therapeutics at LupusTherapeutics.org.
To highlight this partnership and the many services it will offer to lupus patients and their families, the University of Arizona Arthritis Center will host a ‘Healthy Living with Lupus’ Symposium on Saturday, March 22, 2025 (tentative) from 9:00 a.m. – 12 noon in the U of A Health Sciences Innovation Building. For details, please email livinghealthy@arthritis.arizona.edu