Lupus Victoria is pleased to announce that donations to the Kim Jolly Lupus Research Fund (KJLRF) in the period received in the period 15 May 2021 to 12 July 2022 were $54,500. The KJLRF is funded and promoted by Lupus Victoria. The Fund was established in 2008 and is a catalyst for obtaining large scale research funding. Lupus Victoria directors presented the “cheque” to Professor Eric Morand, Head of the School of Clinical Sciences, Monash Health on 2 August 2022.

The Kim Jolly Lupus Research Fund supports day to day clinical data and blood sample collection from consenting patients at the Monash Lupus Clinic, which form a vital underpinning investment in capability. This investment has leveraged many-fold returns.

In Australia, the new drug Anifrolumab (Saphnelo®) has been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), and approval by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) is hoped for later this year. This breakthrough new medicine is expected to bring benefit to thousands of patients worldwide. If approved by the PBS, it will be the first PBS listed drug specifically for lupus in the last 60 years.