Exagen has extended its collaboration agreement with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to raise awareness of the importance of timely diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the most common and severe form of lupus. At the center of the program are the proprietary AVISE? laboratory tests, which can facilitate early diagnosis and management of SLE, a complex, incurable autoimmune disease. The details of the agreement are confidential.

This extension follows a similar one-year extension that Exagen and GSK entered into last year, and will continue to support the shared goal of helping SLE patients shorten the time to their diagnosis, which is nearly six years on average, and to facilitate improved patient outcomes.

“We’re pleased to continue working with GSK, which demonstrates our ability to collaborate with major pharmaceutical companies in a shared commitment to improve patients’ lives. Having access to advanced test result data such as the AVISE? tests can support diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of challenging conditions like SLE,” Ron Rocca, President and CEO of Exagen said.