Publications
Find coverage of the latest original articles on Lupus, focusing on those with data on therapeutic interventions and those that have clinical impact.
Safety, pharmacokinetics, biomarker response and efficacy of E6742: a dual antagonist of Toll-like receptors 7 and 8, in a first-in-patient, randomised, double-blind, phase I/II study in systemic lupus erythematosus
RMD Open 2024;10:e004701 DOI 10.1136/rmdopen-2024-004701
Tanaka et al. conducted a phase I/II study to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics, biomarker response, and efficacy of E6742, a dual antagonist of Toll-like receptors 7 and 8, in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The treatment demonstrated a favourable safety profile, with no serious adverse events, while effectively suppressing interferon gene signatures and showing promising preliminary efficacy.
Efficacy and safety of upadacitinib or elsubrutinib alone or in combination for systemic lupus erythematosus: A Phase 2 randomized controlled trial
Arthritis Rheumatol 2024 DOI: 10.1002/art.42926 Epub ahead of print
Daily oral upadacitinib 30 mg and ABBV-599 high dose (elsubrutinib 60 mg QD + upadacitinib 30 mg) were effective in multiple outcome measures including disease activity, flares, time to first flare, and joint counts.
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Association of sustained lupus low disease activity state with improved outcomes in systemic lupus erythematosus: a multinational prospective cohort study
Lancet Rheumatol 2024:S2665-9913(24)00121-8 DOI 10.1016/S2665-9913(24)00121-8 Epub ahead of print
This study by Golder, et al. showed a significant protective association of lupus low disease activity state (LLDAS) and remission against damage accrual and flare. The authors also found a threshold of 3 months sustained LLDAS or remission, and that 3 months of sustained LLDAS are attainable in the setting of a 6–12-month clinical trial.
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Risk of flare and damage accrual after tapering glucocorticoids in modified serologically active clinically quiescent patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: A multinational observational cohort study
Ann Rheum Dis. 2024 Feb 29:ard-2023-225369 doi: 10.1136/ard-2023-225369 Epub ahead of print
Flare risk did not increase following glucocorticoid tapering in modified serologically active clinically quiescent patients with SLE. They also found that antimalarial use was associated with decreased flare risk.
TYK2: An emerging therapeutic target in rheumatic disease
Nat Rev Rheumatol 2024;20(4):232–40 DOI 10.1038/s41584-024-01093-w
TYK2 inhibitors hold promise for the treatment of a distinct spectrum of autoimmune diseases, including SLE, and could potentially have a safety profile that differs from other JAK inhibitors.
EULAR Recommendations for the Management of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: 2023 Update
Ann Rheum Dis 2023;83(1):15–29 DOI: 10.1136/ard-2023-224762
The objective of this international task force was to update the EULAR recommendations for the management of SLE. The Task Force agreed on 5 overarching principles and 13 recommendations, generating an overall framework for the approach to a patient with SLE. The updated recommendations provide consensus guidance on the management of SLE, combining evidence and expert opinion.
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Impact of Low Disease Activity, Remission, and Complete Remission on Flares Following Tapering of Corticosteroids and Immunosuppressive Therapy in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematous: A Multinational Cohort Study
The Lancet Rheumatology, 2023, Volume 5, Issue 10, e584 - e593 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2665-9913(23)00209-6
In this study, tapering of corticosteroids or immunosuppressive therapy in patients in LLDAS, remission, or complete remission was associated with excess flares versus continuing with therapy. Tapering in complete remission was associated with lower odds of flares compared with tapering in LLDAS or remission. In addition, patients with longer sustained duration of LLDAS or remission at the time of tapering had lower odds of flare and longer time to flare versus those with a shorter duration of LLDAS or remission.
Effect of Belimumab on Kidney-related Outcomes in Patients with Lupus Nephritis: Post Hoc Subgroup Analyses of the Phase 3 BLISS-LN Trial
Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2023;38(12):2733–42 doi: 10.1093/ndt/gfad167 Epub ahead of print.
These data highlight the consistent benefit of belimumab versus placebo, combined with standard therapy, on kidney outcomes in both newly diagnosed and relapsed patients, and regardless of the use of GC pulses at induction.
Baricitinib for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: a Double-blind, Randomised, Placebo-controlled, Phase 3 trial (SLE-BRAVE-II)
Lancet. 2023 doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)02546-6
Negative results of SLE-BRAVE-II trial show that evidence for the efficacy of baricitinib in SLE is inconclusive.
A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Phase III Extension Trial of the Long-Term Safety and Tolerability of Anifrolumab in Active Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Arthritis Rheumatol. 2022. Epub ahead of print doi: 10.1002/art.42392
Long-term extension study shows an acceptable long-term safety profile of anifrolumab in SLE, in addition to sustained improvements in disease activity and reduction in glucocorticoid use.