September 2022

Trial of Anti-BDCA2 Antibody Litifilimab for Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus

N Engl J Med. 2022;387(4):321–331 doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2118024

Phase II study, in patients with active cutaneous lupus erythematosus, shows that litifilimab improved scores on a measure of skin disease activity, over 16 weeks, compared to placebo.

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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.

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Trajectory of Damage Accrual in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus based on Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Factors

J Rheumatol. 2022. Epub ahead of print doi: 10.3899/jrheum.211135

Large study confirms that cumulative damage accrual is faster in African-Americans, compared to Caucasians, highlighting that ethnicity plays the major role in damage accrual, regardless of socioeconomic status.

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July 2022

Phase 3, multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled study evaluating the efficacy and safety of ustekinumab in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

van Vollenhoven RF, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2022. Epub ahead of print. doi:10.1136/ard-2022-222858.

Phase 3 study evaluating the efficacy and safety of ustekinumab in patients with active SLE, despite receiving standard-of-care, does not achieve primary and key secondary endpoints.

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Mechanism of action of baricitinib and identification of biomarkers and key immune pathways in patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus

Dörner T, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2022. Epub ahead of print. doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2022-222335.

Phase II study results suggest that baricitinib 4 mg downregulates key cytokines that are upregulated in patients with SLE.

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June 2022

Filgotinib or lanraplenib in moderate to severe cutaneous lupus erythematosus: a phase 2, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Rheumatology (Oxford). 2022;61(6):2413–2423 doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/keab685

Proof-of-concept study for the safety and efficacy of filgotinib (FIL) and lanraplenib (LANRA) in cutaneous lupus (CLE) fails to meet primary endpoint, but select subgroups displayed a numerically greater treatment response to FIL relative to placebo.

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Baricitinib decreases anti‑dsDNA in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: results from a phase II double‑blind, randomized, placebo‑controlled trial

Arthritis Res Ther 2022;24(1):112 doi: 10.1186/s13075-022-02794-x

Evaluation of serological activity, including antibodies against double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA), suggests that baricitinib may influence B cell activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

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