Doctor and patient portrayal.

The path to sustained disease control is rarely linear1

Sustained disease control remains challenging for many patients with autoimmune disease2

The autoimmune patient journey: many steps, each matters1-3
While all are characterized by a dysregulated immune system, the factors that drive disease and the symptoms patients experience are highly diverse4,6

Several factors contribute to the complexity and heterogeneity of autoimmune diseases throughout the patient journey:4,7

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Signs and symptoms can vary from patient to patient, may be difficult to measure early in the disease course, and may evolve over time4,7
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Multiple underlying disease mechanisms across different may be involved7
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There are limited biomarkers that can help predict how patients may respond to specific therapies5
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Therapies may not be available that target relevant immune pathways or cell types5,8

Together, these factors contribute to challenges seen across the patient journey, from diagnosis through long-term management.1

Different autoimmune diseases can affect many of the same organs, although the distribution and extent can vary from patient to patient2,7,9-12
Body diagram showing shared organ involvement across autoimmune diseases Body diagram showing shared organ involvement across autoimmune diseases

Shared Organ Involvement

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4 Kidney
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Autoimmune diseases can significantly affect a person’s daily living and .2,12

FOR PATIENTS
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Researchers are studying how the immune system contributes to ongoing disease activity and the impact on various organ systems across autoimmune diseases.2,13

Researchers continue to build their understanding of the immune mechanisms that drive across autoimmune diseases14

References: 1. Otón T, Villalobos-Quesada M, Loza E, et al. The patient journey in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases: a systematic review. EULAR Rheumatol Open. 2025;1:124-136. 2. Nagy G, Gunkl-Tóth L, Dorgó AM, et al. The concept of difficult-to-treat disease in rheumatology: where next? Lancet Rheumatol. 2025;7:e274-e289. 3. Gomon G, Otón T, Carmona L, et al. How do general practitioners diagnose and refer potential rheumatic musculoskeletal complaints? A scoping review. Clin Rheumatol. Published online ahead of print: 2026. doi:10.1007/s10067-026-08282-w. 4. Pisetsky DS. Pathogenesis of autoimmune disease. Nat Rev Nephrol. 2023;19:509-524. 5. Junt T, Calzascia T, Traggiai E, et al. Defining immune reset: achieving sustained remission in autoimmune diseases. Nat Rev Immunol. 2025;25:528-541. 6. Whitfield ML. Moving towards a molecular categorization of autoimmune disease. Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2021;17:193-194. 7. Guthridge JM, Wagner CA, James JA. The promise of precision medicine in rheumatology. Nat Med. 2022;28:1363-1371. 8. Ramírez-Valle F, Maranville JC, Roy S, et al. Sequential immunotherapy: towards cures for autoimmunity. Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2024;23:501-524. 9. Song Y, Li J, Wu Y. Evolving understanding of autoimmune mechanisms and new therapeutic strategies of autoimmune disorders. Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2024;9:263. 10. Ashton C, Paramalingam S, Stevenson B, et al. Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: a review. Intern Med J. 2021;51:845-852. 11. Wu D, Luo Y, Li T, et al. Systemic complications of rheumatoid arthritis: Focus on pathogenesis and treatment. Front Immunol. 2022;13:1051082. 12. Song X, Liang H, Nan F, et al. Autoimmune Diseases: Molecular Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Targets. MedComm. 2025;6:e70262. 13. Merino-Vico A, Frazzei G, van Hamburg JP, et al. Targeting B cells and plasma cells in autoimmune diseases: From established treatments to novel therapeutic approaches. Eur J Immunol. 2023;53:2149675. 14. Reynolds JA, Putterman C. Progress and unmet needs in understanding fundamental mechanisms of autoimmunity. J Autoimmun. 2023;137:102999.