News

The European Commission has approved the new, self-administered and injectable formulation of  Benlysta (belimumab), by GSK, as an add-on therapy for certain adults with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The approval applies to lupus patients with active autoantibody-positive disease and high disease activity in spite of standard therapy.

EMD Serono‘s atacicept can effectively reduce disease activity among lupus patients with high disease activity at baseline, according to new data from the Phase 2b ADDRESS II trial. The study, “Attainment of Low Disease Activity By Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Starting with High Disease Activity in a 24-Week,…

GlaxoSmithKline’s Benlysta reduced lupus patients’ need for higher doses of corticosteroids, a therapy that is beneficial but causes long-term organ damage, an additional analysis of Phase 3 clinical trial results shows. In addition, a combination of Benlysta and corticosteroids reduced patients’ organ damage more than corticosteroids alone over five years, two extensions…

Obese women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have a poorer quality of life and suffer more symptoms than women of normal weight, according to new research presented at the 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting in San Diego. The study, “Obesity Independently Associates with Worse Patient Reported Outcomes in Women with Systemic…

Janssen announced that its investigational antibody Stelara (ustekinumab) showed positive results in a Phase 2 trial as a therapy for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Based on these results, the company said it would further test Stelara in a Phase 3 development program planned for 2018. The study, “Efficacy and…

Results from a 24-week Phase 2b study show that atacicept treatment is safe and reduces disease activity and severe flare in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, particularly in those with high disease activity or serologically active disease. Results of the ADDRESS II trial (NCT01972568) were published in the study, “…

Results of a Phase 3 clinical trial of blisibimod, by Anthera Pharmaceuticals, found that treatment significantly reduces proteinuria — excess proteins in the urine — in patients with systemic lupus erythematous (SLE). Like many B-cell mediated autoimmune diseases, lupus is associated with elevated levels of B-cell activating factor (BAFF). Blisibimod is…

The Lupus Research Alliance has launched the first clinical trials conducted as part of its Lupus Clinical Investigators Network (LuCIN). The alliance established LuCIN to speed the development of new lupus therapies, recognizing the limited options patients currently have. It comprises a series of strategic partnerships with the…

A patient whose lupus is in remission or who is experiencing low disease activity faces less risk of experiencing additional damage or dying from their condition, an international study reports. Researchers said doctors should keep the findings in mind when treating patients. Trying to help patients achieve remission or low…

Cardiac tamponade, the accumulation of fluid around the heart, affects nearly 6 percent of lupus patients in India, a new retrospective study shows. But researchers found new risk factors that predict this condition, which may help identify patients at risk. Treatment with high-dose immunosuppressives reduced the risk for fluid reaccumulation…