The Push Toward Personalized Medicine in Lupus Care

For people living with lupus, access to new therapies depends not only on scientific breakthroughs but also on patients being able to participate in clinical research. According to Albert T. Roy, president and CEO of the Lupus Research Alliance (LRA), expanding clinical trial access and advancing precision medicine are two major priorities that could help reshape lupus care in the coming years. In recognition of World Lupus Day, this coverage highlights ongoing efforts to improve treatment options, expand research participation and raise awareness about the realities of living with lupus.

Roy explained that the LRA works closely with its clinical affiliate, Lupus Therapeutics, to support lupus drug development and connect patients with clinical trials. Through the Lupus Clinical Investigators Network, more than 60 academic medical centers across North America collaborate on research involving thousands of lupus patients. These centers also work to build relationships with community rheumatologists so that patients who may not live near major research institutions still have opportunities to participate in studies.

Roy acknowledged that this process can be challenging because patients often have long-standing relationships with their local physicians and may feel hesitant about traveling elsewhere for research participation. Building trust between academic centers, community doctors and patients is essential. He said the organization is working proactively to improve these connections and educate patients about the role clinical trials play in bringing new therapies to market.

Patient advocates are also becoming an increasingly important part of the process. Roy noted that people living with lupus who are trained through advocacy programs can help others better understand the potential benefits of clinical research and encourage participation within their own communities.

Beyond improving access to trials, Roy believes the future of lupus treatment will depend heavily on precision medicine. Because lupus affects every patient differently, he described it as almost an “N of one” disease, meaning each person’s condition may be driven by unique biological factors. Researchers are now trying to better understand those molecular drivers so treatments can eventually be matched to the individual patient most likely to benefit.

According to Roy, scientists are working to identify biomarkers that can predict how a patient’s lupus behaves and which therapies may work best for them. While this level of personalized treatment is already more advanced in fields like cancer care, lupus researchers are still building the foundation needed to bring similar strategies into autoimmune disease management.

The LRA is helping support that work through large-scale data and biospecimen collection efforts that follow patients over time. Roy said these programs are designed to help researchers and pharmaceutical companies better understand lupus biology and develop more targeted therapies in the future.

He also emphasized that progress depends on patient involvement. Roy hopes clinical research will eventually be viewed as a routine part of lupus care, similar to how trials are approached in many cancer settings. The more patients who participate in research, he said, the faster scientists can answer important questions and bring promising new therapies to people living with lupus.