Publications
Find coverage of the latest original articles on Lupus, focusing on those with data on therapeutic interventions and those that have clinical impact.
June 2023
Belimumab and antimalarials combined against renal flares in patients treated for extra-renal systemic lupus erythematosus: results from 4 phase III clinical trials
Rheumatology (Oxford) 2023;63(2):338–48 doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/kead253
The protection conferred from belimumab against renal flare development in patients treated for extra-renal SLE appears enhanced when administered along with antimalarials (AMA).
May 2023
Belimumab Versus Anifrolumab in Adults with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: An Indirect Comparison of Clinical Response at 52 Weeks
Lupus Sci. Med 2023;10:e000907 doi 10.1136/lupus-2023-000907
This retrospective study by Neupane, et al. compared belimumab and anifrolumab efficacy at 52 weeks in SLE patients. It concluded that belimumab and anifrolumab have equal efficacy, but further studies would be needed for specific patient demographics.
January 2023
New Biologics and Targeted Therapies in Systemic Lupus: From New Molecular Targets to New Indications. A Systematic Review
Joint Bone Spine. 2023.
Systematic review of new biologics and targeted therapies in systemic lupus identifies a highly diversified pipeline of investigational drugs that will hopefully enable a more optimal treat-to-target strategy.
November 2022
Safety and Efficacy of Belimumab in Patients with Lupus Nephritis
Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2022;17:1620–1630 doi: 10.2215/CJN.02520322
This 28-week, open-label extension of BLISS-LN found no new safety signals and maintained efficacy with belimumab, in patients with lupus nephritis.
Belimumab Use During Pregnancy: Interim Results of the Belimumab Pregnancy Registry
Birth Defects Res. 2022. Epub ahead of print doi: 10.1002/bdr2.2091
There was no pattern or common mechanism of birth defects associated with belimumab within the Belimumab Pregnancy Registry (BPR) data.
September 2022
Effect and safety profile of belimumab and tacrolimus combination therapy in thirty‑three patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Clin Rheumatol. 2022. Epub ahead of print doi: 10.1007/s10067-022-06325-6
A single-centre analysis of patients with SLE administered tacrolimus and belimumab shows this combination therapy to be well-tolerated, with a good efficacy profile and glucocorticoid-reducing effect.
June 2022
Indirect treatment comparison of anifrolumab efficacy versus belimumab in adults with systemic lupus erythematosus
J Comp Eff Res. 2022;11(10):765–777 doi: 10.2217/cer-2022-0040
Population-adjusted comparative study provides insights for decision makers and clinicians about the comparative efficacy of anifrolumab and belimumab in patients with moderate-to-severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who are receiving standard therapy.
In the absence of head-to-head comparisons, Bruce, et al. assessed the comparative efficacy of the two biological therapies currently approved in the EU and USA for the treatment of moderate-to-severe SLE (anifrolumab 300 mg and belimumab 10 mg/kg).
After adjusting for important cross-trial differences, their results showed that anifrolumab was associated with significantly greater treatment benefits than belimumab.
May 2022
Impact of belimumab on organ damage in systemic lupus erythematosus
Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2022 Epub ahead of print doi: 10.1002/acr.24901
Review of clinical trial and real-world data on the effects of belimumab on organ damage in adult patients with SLE shows that belimumab reduces key drivers of organ damage, decreases organ damage progression and, in those with lupus nephritis (LN), decreases renal-related events.
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March 2022
A secondary analysis of the Belimumab International Study in Lupus Nephritis trial examined effects of belimumab on kidney outcomes and preservation of kidney function in patients with lupus nephritis
Kidney Int. 2022;101(2):403-413 doi: 10.1016/j.kint.2021.08.027
Post-hoc analysis data suggests that the addition of belimumab to standard therapy may be effective in preserving long-term kidney function in patients with lupus nephritis (LN).
November 2021
Effectiveness of Belimumab After Rituximab in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Ann Intern Med. 2021. Epub ahead of print. doi: 10.7326/M21-2078.
Preliminary evidence suggests that belimumab after rituximab could be developed as a therapeutic strategy for patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) refractory to conventional therapy.