The purpose of this study is to test whether a drug called efzofitimod (the study drug) is a potential treatment for patients with Systemic Sclerosis associated with Interstitial Lung Disease (SSc-ILD).

Efzofitimod is an investigational drug that is given by infusion every 4 weeks for a total of 6 doses. An investigational drug is not approved by The US Food and Drug Administration. It can only be used in a research study like this one. In this study, efzofitimod will be compared with a placebo (dummy drug). The placebo will be a saline solution that does not have any study drug in it. The comparison with the placebo helps to determine whether the effects seen in your body is because of efzofitimod or not. This is a randomized study, meaning that you will be assigned by chance (like flipping a coin) to receive either the study drug or placebo. The study is double-blinded study, meaning you and your study doctor will not know what you are receiving, the study efzofitimod or placebo.

The study is sponsored by aTyr Pharma, Inc. Participation in the study will require 9 visits to the MUSC main campus and will have the following procedures completed over the course of your participation: blood draw, urine collection, physician-led assessments of your disease (for example physical exam and skin thickness testing), tests to assess your pulmonary function and health (Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) and High Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT)), electrocardiogram, as well as asked to complete surveys.

Compensation is available for participation

The purpose of this study is to test whether a drug called PRA023/MK7240 (the study drug) is a good treatment for patients with Systemic Sclerosis associated with Interstitial Lung Disease (SSc-ILD). The study drug PRA023/7240 is an investigational drug that is given by infusion every 4 weeks. An investigational drug is not approved by The US Food and Drug Administration. It can only be used in a research study like this one. In this study, PRA023/MK7240 will be compared with a placebo (dummy drug). The placebo will be a saline solution that does not have any study drug in it. The comparison with the placebo helps to determine whether the effects seen in your body is because of the PRA023/MK7240 or not. This is a randomized study meaning that you will be assigned by chance (like flipping a coin) to receive either the study drug or placebo. This will be done with the help of a computer-based program and you will have 50% chance of receiving either the study drug or placebo. The study is double-blinded study and 50 weeks long, meaning you and your study doctor will not know what you are receiving, the study drug or placebo.

The study is sponsored by Prometheus Biosciences, Inc., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc. The study is being done at approximately 25 sites across the United States. The main portion of the study will require 15 visits to the MUSC main campus and will have the following procedures completed over the course of your participation: blood draw, physician-led assessments of your disease (for example physical exam and skin thickness testing), tests to assess your pulmonary function and health (Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) and High Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT)), electrocardiogram, as well as asked to complete surveys. If you complete the initial blinded treatment period of 50 weeks, the study doctor will discuss whether you are eligible to enter the open label period of the study, meaning no placebo. If you are eligible and agree, you will receive 500 mg of study drug once every 4 weeks for an additional 52 weeks. Compensation is available for participation.

This research study aims to determine a less invasive way to assess heart function by taking measurements of the heart while subjects are performing an exercise cardiac MRI. Subjects will undergo two exercise phases and MRI measurements will be taken after each exercise phase. These measurements will be compared to available clinical data (including demographic, hemodynamic, radiologic, and functional) and future outcome data.

The goal of this study is to develop an early systemic sclerosis (SSc) registry in the United States (US). A registry is a group of patients that are observed over time. This is a non-interventional study, meaning that they are no study specific medications to take or procedures to undergo. The specific aims include ongoing assessment of the natural history of early SSc patients by capturing and analyzing clinical data, patient reported outcomes, and laboratory data as seen in the clinic as part of their routine care needs. Additional study visits are not required. This is a multi-center study with sites spread across the U.S. This study is funded by the Scleroderma Research Foundation.

Patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) related pulmonary arterial hypertension (SScPAH) have a worse prognosis than those with idiopathic PAH. We have recently discovered that heart cells in SScPAH do not contract or squeeze as well as in other forms of pulmonary hypertension. However, the mechanism leading to this dysfunction is not understood. To better study this and in hopes of developing a future therapy, we plan to collect tissue samples via a heart biopsy at the time of a clinically indicated heart catheterization.

The purpose of the study is to generate a bio bank of specimens for research. We will tissue that would otherwise be discarded from clinical or surgical procedure and information from medical records. We will also collect discarded blood, urines and sputum. Collecting samples will help to better understanding the mechanisms of cardiovascular diseases, identify biomarkers for early diagnosis and to predict safety and efficacy of new therapies.

The purpose of this study is to create and maintain a registry, which is a database (a searchable collection of information) about children, adolescents and young adults with pediatric onset of rheumatic diseases. This data may help in the evaluation of the safety and benefit of medications that are prescribed to patients who have rheumatic diseases.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus; SLE), Systemic Sclerosis (scleroderma; SSc) and Systemic Vasculitis (SV) are relatively rare rheumatic diseases that disproportionately impact the African American community, and particularly African American women. The causes of lupus, scleroderma and vasculitis are unknown, but thought to include both genetic and environmental factors. We are enrolling lupus, scleroderma, and vasculitis patients, and healthy control subjects. This is not a drug study. The purpose of this study is to better understand the factors that predispose people to develop lupus, scleroderma, and vasculitis. Information about medical, social and family history, medications, physical exam findings, and laboratory tests will be collected for analysis. This study will involve approximately 1360 volunteers.