As we reflect on this past year, we want to thank you for standing with the RP Foundation and helping advance our mission: to fuel scientific discoveries and collaborations that will bring us closer to a cure for relapsing polychondritis. Your generosity has accelerated research, expanded patient access to specialty care, and strengthened the global network of experts working to improve the lives of people living with Relapsing Polychondritis (RP).
Penn Relapsing Polychondritis Program
Because of the RP Foundation’s sustained investment and your support, the Penn RP Program, now almost certainly the largest center in the world studying RP, achieved unprecedented milestones across research, clinical care, and global collaboration:
- Cared for more than 150 patients with RP, creating an unmatched clinical and research resource.
- Enrolled nearly all patients into the VCRC Longitudinal Study, providing robust clinical data and biospecimens for continued scientific analysis.
- Launched the first‑ever clinical trial for RP (PROSPECT‑RP), with two patients already enrolled.
- Advanced collaboration with the NIH, with plans for NIH to join PROSPECT‑RP.
- Began strategizing with leading rheumatology experts in Beijing to expand global research in both the Longitudinal Study and PROSPECT‑RP.
- Grew the RADAR immune‑profiling study, processing more than 400 samples to uncover new insights into RP biology and disease pathways.
- Supported the work of Dr. Florian Käs, helping train the next generation of RP specialists and expand RP‑focused research capacity.
- Produced multiple scientific projects accepted for international presentation and publication -clear evidence that long‑term investments in data collection are yielding high‑impact results.
- Hosted the first Penn RP Center Patient Education Meeting, with more than 150 attendees and plans for the next event in 2026.
PURPOSE Biobank
Through the Foundation’s support, the PURPOSE Biobank and Data Repository at the Allegheny Health Network Autoimmunity Institute reached several important milestones this year:
- Enrolled 106 participants in the PURPOSE Biobank.
- Collected 88 blood samples from participants representing 24 states and Puerto Rico.
These achievements advance AHN’s long‑term goal of providing researchers at AHN and around the world, with high‑quality samples and data to improve diagnostic accuracy, disease monitoring, and treatment for RP and related autoimmune diseases.
MD Anderson Cancer Center
A strategic investment from the RP Foundation enabled MD Anderson Cancer Center to establish a groundbreaking multidisciplinary collaboration between its hematopathology, leukemia, and rheumatology departments. This initiative is improving the diagnosis and management of patients with suspected autoimmune disorders, including RP and VEXAS syndrome.
Key accomplishments include:
- Development and optimization of a next‑generation sequencing (NGS) panel targeting the UBA1 gene and other relevant markers to better characterize the genomics of VEXAS syndrome.
- Two anticipated publications in high‑impact scholarly journals in early 2026, advancing clinical understanding and diagnostic precision for complex autoimmune conditions.
Race for RP Partnership With McLaren Trophy America
Thanks to the RP Foundation’s Race for RP initiative and its partnership with McLaren Trophy America, the 2025 season delivered major awareness and fundraising achievements:
- Race for RP branding featured on every car throughout the 2025 season, significantly expanding visibility.
- Enhanced paddock presence and promotional activations at each race weekend.
- Launch of the “Win a Hot Lap” fundraising campaign, inviting fans to donate via QR code for a chance to experience hot laps in McLaren Trophy machinery, bringing in new donors and deepening engagement.
- Two successful charity auctions held at:
- The 2025 MTA Finish Line Social at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
- The McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, UK during the McLaren Trophy Championship Awards. Both events raised meaningful funds for RP research and expanded global awareness.
- Record awareness growth across the racing community, strengthening recognition of RP and autoimmune disease research.
- New philanthropic momentum, making 2025 one of the most impactful years in Race for RP’s history.
The partnership will continue into the 2026 season, beginning March 26–29 at Sonoma Raceway, where the next evolution of the Race for RP awareness initiative will debut.
2025 Warrior Walk: A Record‑Breaking Year of Awareness and Engagement
The Foundation’s investment in community engagement helped make this year’s Warrior Walk the most successful yet:
- More than $25,000 raised in just two weeks.
- The highest number of first‑time donors in program history.
- A standout moment at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where drivers, crew members, and fans from the 2025 McLaren Trophy America event walked a lap around the historic track-bringing RP awareness to an entirely new audience and capturing powerful moments of unity and purpose.
Looking Ahead
These achievements were made possible because of your support, trust, and belief in our mission. They reflect the RP Foundation’s commitment to accelerating scientific discovery and improving patient outcomes through strategic partnerships and targeted research investments.
There is still much more to do. If you would like to make an impact before the year ends, please consider a tax‑deductible gift at https://give.polychondritis.org/.
Thank you for your generosity and for helping us improve patient care and ultimately, move us closer to a cure for relapsing polychondritis.
