Predictive biomarkers for detection of organ damage in autoimmune illnesses – IP 1411

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) affects approximately onemillion Americans and at least 3.5 million individuals worldwide. Nearly halfof the patients diagnosed with SLE will have involvement of a major organ, suchas the kidneys or lungs. Florida International University (FIU) is pursuingbusiness partners interested in developing and commercializing a new product todetect lung and kidney damage in SLE and other autoimmune illnesses. Currently,there is an unmet need for a rapid and minimally invasive test to identifyorgan damage in these patients and to track their progression over time. This FIU technology can be used to identify kidney or lung involvementin blood from patients with autoimmune disorders. Using a routine blood sample,clinicians would be able to identify patients with kidney or lung diseases andcould create and initiate personalized treatments specifically aimed toprevent, reduce, or halt the involvement of certain organs for the individualpatient. FIU researchers have developed tests to predict kidney or lunginvolvement in blood from patients with autoimmune diseases. To date very fewpredictive biomarkers for autoimmune-associated kidney disease exist.Additionally, there are no predictive biomarkers that can identify patientswith autoimmune diseases who have lung involvement. Anne Laure Schmitt Olivier aschmitt@fiu.edu 305-348-5948