Researchers try bold new approach in a race to better treat autoimmune diseases

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Dr. Maximilian Konig, a rheumatologist at Johns Hopkins University, sits for a portrait in the lab where he's studying some possible new treatments for autoimmune diseases, Tuesday, May 13, 2025, in Baltimore, Md. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Scientists are trying a revolutionary new approach to treat rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, lupus and other devastating autoimmune diseases – by reprogramming patients’ out-of-whack immune systems.

When your body’s immune cells attack you instead of protecting you, today’s treatments tamp down the friendly fire but they don’t fix what’s causing it. Patients face a lifetime of pricey pills, shots or infusions with some serious side effects — and too often the drugs aren’t en