News

Ianalumab (VAY736), an investigational antibody to treat Sjögren’s syndrome, at high dose was well-tolerated by patients using it for one year, and led to reductions in disease activity and significantly greater saliva production, data from a Phase 2b clinical trial show. Findings were shared at the 2021 American College of Rheumatology…

Sensitivity to smell is reduced in people with Sjögren’s syndrome, compared with healthy controls, and appears to be linked to the severity of the disease, a new study reports. The study, “Olfactory impairment in patients with primary Sjogren’s syndrome and its correlation with organ involvement and immunological abnormalities,”…

People with Sjögren’s syndrome appear to have imbalances in their oral and gut microbiota relative to healthy individuals, but studies to date provide inconsistent results so that clear conclusions cannot be drawn, a review study reports. Notably, the lack of standardized methodology and appropriate control groups may be behind…

The Sjögren’s Foundation will host a one-day virtual conference aimed at increasing patients’ understanding and management of symptoms. The conference will feature Sjögren’s syndrome experts and the focus will be on the nervous system and Sjögren’s, according to a press release, Scheduled for noon to 4:30 p.m. EST on Nov. 13,…

After a four-year effort led by the Sjögren’s Foundation, new health statistics codes in the U.S. — known as ICD-10 codes — recognizing Sjögren’s syndrome as a distinctive condition from “sicca” are now in effect. The codes are officially known as the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and…

Tennis champion and activist Venus Williams will be featured in “Hear Me,” an advertising campaign by Blue Shield of California seeking to increase attention to and end the bias and inequalities currently seen in access to healthcare in the U.S. “I am deeply passionate about prioritizing health and well-being,…

The Sjögren’s Foundation, a nonprofit health organization focused on increasing research, education, and awareness about Sjögren’s syndrome, has announced its most dedicated volunteers who were honored recently at the foundation’s 2021 Virtual National Patient Conference. “Every year, the Foundation recognizes our most dedicated volunteers through awards that are…

A new study is seeking adults with autoimmune diseases, including those with Sjogren’s syndrome, who have received a COVID-19 vaccine or are planning to do so. Conducted by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), the CoVER study is investigating if patients with autoimmune diseases respond similarly…

The Sjögren’s Foundation has awarded a total of $200,000 to four U.S. research projects focused on identifying diagnostic biomarkers and improving treatment of Sjögren’s syndrome. The foundation’s Research Grants Program “places a high priority on both clinical and basic scientific research into the cause, prevention, detection, treatment, and cure…

A rare case of pancreatic cancer was reported in a 59-year-old woman two years after she was diagnosed with primary Sjögren’s syndrome. While primary Sjögren’s has been extensively linked to a higher risk of blood cancers, fewer studies have described a potential link with solid cancers. This case supports the importance of…