Partnering for progress – Reset rheumatoid arthritis
Arthritis Australia is proud to be a key partner in the Reset RA project, which is developing immunotherapy that could revolutionise the treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.
This world-leading research is being led by Professor Ranjeny Thomas AM, a rheumatologist and world-leading researcher at the University of Queensland, Translational Research Institute. Also participating are: Monash University, Macquarie University, Flinders University, University of Sydney, Queensland Health, Kings College London, Newcastle University, and Leiden University Medical Center.
Arthritis Australia is very grateful that the work has been made possible by the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund.
Through this support from the Australian Government, Arthritis Australia and people living with rheumatoid arthritis are central to guiding this ground-breaking Australian research.
What is Reset RA?
This study is exploring a completely new approach to rheumatoid arthritis, providing targeted treatment early to help prevent it from becoming a long-term condition. The treatment is called antigen-specific immune tolerising immunotherapy.
This new approach aims to use targeted immunotherapy to ‘reset’ the immune system, aiming to switch off the cause of inflammation so the arthritis does not return.
Picture Courtesy University of Queensland: Professor Ranjeny Thomas AM
Is this treatment ready for use?
This pioneering treatment is under advanced development and is not yet ready for routine clinical use.
Progress is nevertheless continuing rapidly, supported by the Australian Government, through a Medical Research Future Fund Frontiers Grant. As part of this work, we are understanding more about how rheumatoid arthritis works.
Early stage clinical trials are expected to start in the second half of 2026.
Arthritis Australia is proud to be a key partner in the Reset RA research project, led by Professor Ranjeny Thomas which is developing an immunotherapy with the potential to transform the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. As a partner, we are embedding lived experience in the research, ensuring it is shaped by those most impacted. As part of this commitment, our Arthritis Research Champion was given the opportunity to attend the Reset RA Annual Conference and has prepared this report to share their insights with our community.
Reset RA Annual Conference Report
As attended and written by Selena Bunt, living with rheumatoid arthritis
The Reset RA Annual Conference was held 23-25 February at the Brisbane Translational Research Institute’s (TRI), Australia’s first biomedical manufacturing facility. I was invited to share my Rheumatoid Arthritis Journey with Professor Ranjeny Thomas (renowned leader in RA Research) and local and international experts in the field. I gave an honest vulnerable account of my lived experience with RA, and how its impact extends beyond sore joints. My invitation extended to attending the conference to listen to the latest RA research and I gladly accepted this opportunity.
Keynote speaker Professor Andrew Cope of King’s College London enthusiastically opened the event with an overview of the latest research in Rheumatology and Immunology.
Pictured (L-R): Selena Bunt, Professor Ranjeny Thomas
Professor Ranjeny Thomas and her team at UQ presented their advanced research underway to find a cure using Antigen Specific Immune tolerising Immunotherapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis (ASITI-RA).
Anthony Purcell, Asolina Braun and Matthew Whitney of Monash University presented their latest sophisticated research on citrullinated peptides to develop antigen-specific immunotherapies that re-educate the immune system.
Associate Professor and Rheumatologist Rachel Knevel of Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC) unravelled the clinical heterogeneity of RA.
Kazuhiko Yamamoto of the RIKEN Centre Tokyo focused on the epigenetics of disease onset. That is, known genes which can be triggered by an immune response to cause a cytokine storm leading to arthritic symptoms and an RA diagnosis.
UQ’s Benjamin Cal’s presentation on Advancing the Biological Basis of the Gut-Joint Axis was particularly interesting to me. Specifically the findings of bacteria not moving beyond the spleen in the healthy host, but when an individual is genetically predisposed, bacteria makes its way to the joints.
Dentist Ryan Lee’s addressed the intersectionality of RA and Periodontics disease.
Aaron Winkler of Pfizer presented about the big pharma approach, and gave an honest and insightful view from a business case perspective.
Annabelle Small of Flinders University shared that her dedicated research is motivated by a family member’s RA diagnosis; she delivered research exploring Neutrophil counts and time to remission for RA patients.
I was intrigued and impressed by the sophisticated research presented about the epigenetics of disease onset, and the expert researchers’ collective plight to find a cure instilled much hope!
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