7721 Developing proteomic and epigenetic BIOmarkers to bring advanced Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnostics and Treatment to the market

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects around 18 million people worldwide. It causes inflammation in the joints and, over time, leads to permanent joint damage and functional impairment. Although several treatment options are available, many patients do not respond to the medications they are given. Around half of all patients need to switch medications within the first year due to side effects or lack of effect. When treatment is ineffective, valuable time is lost, and the disease can worsen. One of the biggest challenges in RA care is finding the right treatment for each individual patient. Our project aims to change this this trial-and-error approach to treatment. Together with the Swedish pharmaceutical company Lipum, we are developing a test to predict who will respond to Lipum’s new drug candidate, SOL-116. This drug has shown promising results in early studies, and the ability to identify patients who will benefit from it could lead to faster, more targeted, and more effective treatment. By helping doctors select the right treatment from the beginning, such a test could reduce unnecessary side effects and improve treatment outcomes for people living with RA. It would also benefit public healthcare systems by reducing costs associated with expensive medications that do not work. We hope that our project will become an important step towards more personalised treatment for patients.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease causing joint inflammation, pain, stiffness, and swelling. Over time, it can lead to joint deformities, disability, reduced quality of life, and major socioeconomic burden. According to the World Health Organization, RA affects approximately 18 million people globally. While multiple treatments are available, there remains an unmet need for safer and more effective options. The current treatment strategy relies heavily on a trial-and-error approach. Around 50% of patients discontinue their first prescribed medication within the first year due to either side effects or lack of efficacy. This leads to delays in effective treatment, unnecessary side effects, and increased healthcare costs. In this project, Lipum and Age Labs have joined forces to improve treatment outcomes for RA patients by developing a diagnostic test that can guide treatment decisions. The goal is to create and validate a blood-based test that predicts response to SOL-116, a promising new therapeutic candidate developed by Lipum. To achieve this, the consortium will first use data from Lipums phase I and phase II studies and analyse changes in the plasma proteome and epigenome associated with treatment response. The final aim is to integrate proteomic and epigenetic data into a companion diagnostic test.