Aurinia Pharmaceuticals’ voclosporin showed considerable success in a clinical trial of lupus nephritis, according to recent data released by the company. Results found that the drug met the study’s primary goal of complete remission, and met all secondary goals of the ongoing, Phase 2b AURA-LV trial (NCT02141672). The data were…
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) reported positive data from a trial of Benlysta (belimumab) for systemic lupus erythematosus in Northeast Asia that will form the basis of a request for the treatment’s regulatory approval in Japan and China. Study findings (NCT01345253) were presented at the recent 2016 American College of Rheumatology/Association for Rheumatology…
Merck recently reported positive results from its Phase 2b study of the experimental drug atacicept as a treatment for systemic lupus erythematosus, with particularly good results in patients with high disease activity. The study, “Efficacy and Safety of Atacicept in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Results of a 24-week Randomized,…
A drug that blocks a DNA-cutting enzyme, called irinotecan, should be considered as a treatment option for people with systemic lupus erythematosus researchers argued, after confirming the compound’s benefit in yet another lupus mouse model. The research team believes that clinical trials are now needed to explore the treatment in…
Aurinia Pharmaceuticals will take its drug candidate voclosporin into a possibly pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial of its efficacy in treating lupus nephritis — kidney disease caused by systemic lupus erythematosus. Following Phase 2 study meetings with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Aurinia believes the new trial will provide…
Selexis recently signed an agreement that grants ImmuNext access to the company’s cell lines in order to advance an antibody being developed to treat systemic lupus erythematosus and other autoimmune conditions. Geneva-based Selexis focuses on the development of specific mammalian cells, called CHO-K1, which are adapted to growth in suspension. The cell lines which…
Metabolic profiles may be used to identify patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, and, more importantly, to distinguish between lupus patients with and without kidney disease. The study, “NMR based serum metabolomics reveals a distinctive signature in patients with Lupus Nephritis,” published in the journal Scientific Reports,…
Large-scale analysis of genome-wide gene expression signatures allows researchers to discriminate between patients with active and inactive systemic lupus erythematosus — and could help physicians in adjusting treatment to control disease activity while minimizing the risk of side effects. The study reporting the method, “Clinical Application of a Modular…
Researchers at the biotechnology company Shade have developed a sensor, going under the same name, that allows people with systemic lupus erythematosus to accurately measure their ultraviolet (UV) exposure, enabling them to find and adjust to the personal exposure threshold that triggers their symptoms. While many wearable devices claim to measure vital signs, Shade —…
Leptin, a hormone produced by fat cells in the body, was seen to actively promote systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in mouse models of the disease, allowing the formation of autoantibodies and changing the activities of immune cells. Patients with lupus have increased levels of leptin, but until now researchers did not know…