Merck KGaA and the Lupus Foundation of America, a national voluntary health organization based in Washington, D.C., have agreed to collaborate on The ALPHA Project: Addressing Lupus Pillars for Health Advancement, an initiative to drive advancement in lupus research and care.

The multi-phase initiative will seek to achieve better and timelier diagnosis, expand access to expert care, and improve treatment options for those living with the disease.

The initiative will consist of two parts: building a comprehensive picture of the challenges faced by individuals with lupus and developing actionable solutions to address those needs. This includes building a steering committee of leaders in the field of lupus, conducting qualitative research on the lupus patient journey to identify knowledge gaps in diagnosis and treatment, issuing a public report of the findings, and developing a roadmap to address these gaps.

The ALPHA Project will also build upon the National Public Health Agenda for Lupus, an approach guiding lupus policy, planning, advocacy, and action initiatives. The National Public Health Agenda for Lupus was published in 2015 by the Lupus Foundation of America in partnership with the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Source: Merck KGaA