Lupus Research Alliance Launches the DREAM Knowledge-Exchange Platform


Lupus Research Alliance Launches the DREAM Knowledge-Exchange Platform

The DREAM is the final component of the Lupus Research Alliance's Lupus Nexus, an innovative program that provides unprecedented resources to both researchers and those living with lupus

NEW YORK, PRNewswire -- The Lupus Research Alliance (LRA) today launched the Data Repository, Exchange and Analytics platforM (DREAM), a cutting-edge knowledge-exchange platform. The DREAM consists of two distinct interfaces: a secure data-sharing and collaboration platform for researchers, and a research engagement platform for those living with lupus. The DREAM is the final component of the Lupus Nexus, a unique program that aims to accelerate precision medicine in lupus and is comprised of a Registry, a Biorepository, the DREAM, and a Quality Management System.

For researchers, the DREAM provides access to a rich source of longitudinal patient data (clinician and patient-reported), linked biospecimens, and amassed raw molecular data (from analyzed biospecimens) offering an unprecedented lupus resource for investigators.

For those living with lupus, the DREAM offers a sense of community and opportunities to connect, access educational resources, participate in research studies, and review and visualize their personal research data, including results of their biospecimen analysis, patient-reported outcomes over time, and more. It also provides a mechanism for those living with lupus to share feedback with the LRA and broader research community.

A Key Component of LRA's Lupus Nexus

Through the Lupus Nexus, investigators will have access to deep datasets and powerful tools to better understand the disease and will use that knowledge to help develop new treatments and improve the quality of life for those living with lupus.

"The launch of the DREAM completes our vision of the Lupus Nexus," said Devon Kelly, Director, Lupus Nexus, Lupus Research Alliance. "The DREAM not only enables researchers to harness powerful data, but will better connect participants with research and information, creating a collaborative, data-driven path to benefit the entire lupus community."

The Lupus Nexus is a key pillar of the newly announced LRA five-year Strategic Plan which aims to define disease heterogeneity, advance treatments from preclinical to clinical stages, increase diversity in research, and enhance clinical research capabilities. Over time, the Lupus Nexus will continue to expand its data and research capabilities, driving the development of more personalized treatments and empowering those living with lupus.

"Since lupus is such a complex and heterogeneous disease, developing new treatments hinges on access to high-quality data from diverse populations and increased collaboration among researchers and people with lupus," said Peter Schafer, PhD, Co-Chair of the Lupus Nexus Steering Committee and Scientific Vice President at Bristol Myers Squibb. "The Lupus Nexus, with its DREAM platform, delivers unprecedented access to data and analytical tools, enabling researchers to accelerate the discovery and development of tailored treatments, at the same time enabling critical participation and feedback from the lupus community."

The LRA engaged research industry leaders Lifebit and Sano Genetics to build the DREAM. Lifebit, a global leader in genomics and health data software, will implement and manage the knowledge-exchange and analytics platform for researchers and clinicians, while Sano Genetics, a health tech company accelerating precision medicine research, will drive meaningful engagement by enabling those living with lupus to participate in research, access their research data and connect through an interactive online community.

The LRA will continue to develop and advance the Lupus Nexus as the preeminent program to transform lupus research and drug development through unprecedented information exchange capabilities. For more information, visit lupusnexus.org.

Lupus is a chronic, complex autoimmune disease that affects millions of people worldwide. In lupus, the immune system, meant to defend against infections, produces autoantibodies that mistake the body's own cells as foreign, causing other immune cells to attack organs such as the kidneys, brain, heart, lungs and skin, as well as blood and joints. Ninety percent of people with lupus are women, most often diagnosed between the ages of 15-45. Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian and Pacific Islander people are disproportionately affected by lupus and more likely to experience severe lupus symptoms.

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. Because the LRA board of directors funds all administrative and fundraising costs, 100 percent of all donations support lupus research programs. Visit LupusResearch.org to learn more, and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Thanks go to the following companies for their sponsorship support of the Lupus Nexus development: Bristol Myers Squibb, GSK, AbbVie Inc., and EMD Serono Inc.

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