Science
Rethinking Sjögren’s disease beyond symptom management

A growing understanding of Sjögren’s disease is helping shift the focus from managing symptoms to exploring the underlying biology driving the disease.

Female scientist sitting at a desk looks at a sample through a microscope

Eye drops on the nightstand. A glass of water always within reach. A calendar quietly shaped around fatigue. For many people living with Sjögren’s disease, the daily burden can move beyond dryness, shaping their comfort, energy and quality of life in ways that are often invisible to others. 

As understanding of the disease evolves, researchers and clinicians are increasingly focused not only on relieving symptoms but also on better understanding what drives the disease and how that knowledge could shape future care. 

What is Sjögren’s disease?

 

Sjögren’s disease [pronounced "SHOW-grins"] is a chronic systemic disease that causes extensive dryness, fatigue and joint pain. It is most commonly associated with dry eyes and dry mouth (often known as sicca symptoms), but for many patients the disease extends far beyond this, often leading to complications such as organ dysfunction, neuropathy and lymphoma.

Because multiple systems are impacted, patients experience symptoms in different ways. While some may experience mild discomfort, others face debilitating symptoms that can greatly impact their ability to eat, work and participate in daily activities.

Formerly known as Sjögren’s syndrome, the shift to Sjögren’s disease reflects a growing understanding of its serious and systemic nature and the persistent burden it places on patients.

For more than 20 years, Bristol Myers Squibb has pursued pathbreaking science across rheumatic diseases, including Sjögren’s disease, aiming to tailor therapies, improve outcomes and expand treatment options for patients.

Why is Sjögren’s disease difficult to diagnose and treat?


The complexity of Sjögren’s disease creates challenges that extend from diagnosis and treatment to research and clinical development.

For many patients, getting an initial diagnosis can be difficult because symptoms may overlap with other autoimmune conditions and present differently from person to person. Complicating care further, about half of people with Sjögren’s disease also have another autoimmune condition, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.

Treatment options also remain limited. There are currently no approved systemic or advanced therapies, and most available treatments are primarily focused on symptom management rather than addressing the underlying biology of the disease.

These same challenges affect research, where differences in symptoms and disease progression can make it difficult to consistently measure treatment impact in clinical trials.

 

How is research advancing understanding of Sjögren’s disease?

 

Because of the challenges in treatment, current research efforts are focused on better understanding the immune pathways involved in the onset and progression of Sjögren’s disease. Researchers are continuing to explore targeted approaches that may help address the root causes of the disease, rather than only focusing on treating symptoms.  

Some of these insights build on research in related autoimmune diseases. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), for example, shares multiple genetic, mechanistic and clinical factors with Sjögren’s disease, including upregulation of Type 1 interferon signaling and overlapping symptoms.

Growing understanding of the underlying biology of Sjögren’s disease has helped spotlight the tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) pathway as a promising area of research. TYK2 is an intracellular enzyme involved in immune and inflammatory signaling pathways that help regulate immune responses, including those driven by proteins, like Type 1 interferons, implicated in the development of Sjögren’s disease.  

More broadly, we are applying our immunology research to better understand the biological pathways driving Sjögren’s disease. This reflects a growing recognition that autoimmune diseases may require multi-faceted approaches rather than a single solution.


What is the path forward?



Improving trial design, refining disease activity measures and endpoints and increasing consistency in disease assessment across study populations are some of the key ways we’re working to strengthen future research and improve the likelihood of clinical success.

Advancing care in Sjögren’s disease requires a deeper knowledge of disease biology, continued innovation in therapy development and close partnerships with patient advocacy organizations to ensure patient voices remain at the center of our work.

The potential to move beyond symptom management toward meaningful long-term outcomes is a goal shared by researchers, clinicians and patients alike. As understanding of Sjögren’s disease continues to evolve, so does the opportunity to rethink what may be possible for patients living with this complex disease.

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