scholarly journals Disease Control and Safety of Belimumab Plus Standard Therapy Over 7 Years in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

2013 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 300-309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen M. Ginzler ◽  
Daniel J. Wallace ◽  
Joan T. Merrill ◽  
Richard A. Furie ◽  
William Stohl ◽  
...  

Objective.To evaluate the efficacy/safety of belimumab plus standard therapy in patients (n = 449) with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) treated up to 7 years (n = 177 currently ongoing).Methods.Patients (n = 345) who completed a double-blind, placebo-controlled, 52-week study of belimumab 1, 4, or 10 mg/kg and 24-week extension of belimumab (placebo switched to 10 mg/kg; belimumab same dose or switched to 10 mg/kg) could receive belimumab 10 mg/kg in an open-label continuation study (n = 296). Disease activity was analyzed in patients with active SLE at baseline of the initial study. Biomarker and SLE medication changes were evaluated, and adverse events (AE) were monitored throughout the study.Results.Total belimumab exposure over 7 years (double-blind and open-label periods): 1746 patient-years. SLE Responder Index (SRI) response rates at Week 52 in autoantibody-positive patients: placebo, 29%; belimumab, 46% (p < 0.05). In the continuation study, 57% of auto-antibody-positive patients had an SRI response by Year 2 and 65% by Year 7; severe flares occurred in 19% with placebo and 17% with belimumab during the first year, with the annual rate declining to 2%–9% during years 2–7. Anti-dsDNA autoantibodies in patients positive for them at baseline had a progressive decline of 40%–60% from baseline over 2–7 years with belimumab. Corticosteroid use decreased over time with ≥ 50–55% reduction in median dose during years 5–7. Serious and overall annual AE rates, including infections, were generally stable or decreased during 7-year treatment.Conclusion.Disease control and safety profile were maintained in patients with active SLE taking belimumab plus standard therapy for up to 7 years. [ClinicalTrials.gov numbers: NCT00071487 and NCT00583362]

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. e025687 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y K Onno Teng ◽  
Ian N Bruce ◽  
Betty Diamond ◽  
Richard A Furie ◽  
Ronald F van Vollenhoven ◽  
...  

IntroductionBelimumab, an anti-B-lymphocyte-stimulator antibody, is approved for the treatment of active, autoantibody-positive systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Rituximab, a B cell-depleting anti-CD20 antibody, remains in the SLE treatment armamentarium despite failed trials in lupus nephritis and extrarenal lupus. These biologics, which operate through complementary mechanisms, might result in an enhanced depletion of circulating and tissue-resident autoreactive B lymphocytes when administered together. Thus, belimumab and rituximab combination may be a highly effective treatment of SLE. This study aims to evaluate and compare the efficacy, safety and tolerability of subcutaneous (SC) belimumab and a single cycle of rituximab in patients with SLE with belimumab alone.Methods and analysisBLISS-BELIEVE is a three-arm, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 104-week superiority study. Two hundred adults with SLE will be randomised 1:2:1 to arm A, belimumab SC 200 mg/week for 52 weeks plus placebo at weeks 4 and 6; arm B, belimumab SC 200 mg/week for 52 weeks plus rituximab 1000 mg at weeks 4 and 6; arm C, belimumab SC 200 mg/week plus standard of care for 104 weeks. The 52-week treatment period (arms A and B) is followed by a 52-week observational phase. The primary efficacy endpoint is the proportion of patients with disease control (SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI)−2K≤2, without immunosuppressants and with a prednisone-equivalent dose of ≤5 mg/day) at week 52. Major secondary efficacy endpoints are the proportion of patients in clinical remission (defined as SLEDAI-2K=0, without immunosuppressants and corticosteroids) at week 64, and the proportion of patients with disease control at week 104. Safety endpoints include the incidence of adverse events (AEs), serious AEs and AEs of special interest.Ethics and disseminationWithin 6 months of the study’s primary manuscript publication, anonymised individual participant data and study documents can be requested for further research fromwww.clinicalstudydatarequest.com.Trial registration numberNCT03312907; Pre-results.


Lupus ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (9) ◽  
pp. 1489-1498 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Doria ◽  
D Bass ◽  
A Schwarting ◽  
A Hammer ◽  
D Gordon ◽  
...  

Objective To evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of subcutaneous (SC) belimumab in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) beyond 1 year. Methods This was a 24-week, open-label extension following a 52-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of belimumab SC. Patients who completed the double-blind phase were eligible to enter the open-label phase. All patients received weekly belimumab 200 mg SC plus standard SLE therapy. Outcome measures included safety and efficacy (SLE Response Index (SRI) and SLE Flare Index (SFI) rates), and changes in biomarker and B cell levels. Results Of 677 patients who completed the 52-week, double-blind phase, 662 entered the open-label phase; 206 had previously received placebo and 456 had previously received belimumab. Despite differences in total belimumab exposure (24 weeks in the placebo-to-belimumab group versus 76 weeks in the belimumab group), the proportions of patients experiencing more than one adverse event (AE) or a serious AE in the open-label phase were similar between groups (placebo-to-belimumab: 51.5 and 6.8%; belimumab: 48.2 and 5.5%, respectively). Most AEs were mild/moderate in severity. Efficacy was maintained through the extension phase. An SRI response was achieved by 16.1% of patients in the placebo-to-belimumab group and 76.3% patients in the belimumab group. Furthermore, 1.0% of patients in the placebo-to-belimumab group and 2.6% of patients in the belimumab group experienced a severe SFI flare. Conclusion Belimumab SC was well tolerated and efficacy was maintained during the extension phase of this study. The safety profile of belimumab SC is consistent with that of previous experience with belimumab. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01484496


2019 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing He ◽  
Ruijun Zhang ◽  
Miao Shao ◽  
Xiaozhen Zhao ◽  
Miao Miao ◽  
...  

ObjectivesOpen-labelled clinical trials suggested that low-dose IL-2 might be effective in treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A double-blind and placebo-controlled trial is required to formally evaluate the safety and efficacy of low-dose IL-2 therapy.MethodsA randomised, double-blind and placebo-controlled clinical trial was designed to treat 60 patients with active SLE. These patients received either IL-2 (n=30) or placebo (n=30) with standard treatment for 12 weeks, and were followed up for additional 12 weeks. IL-2 at a dose of 1 million IU or placebo was administered subcutaneously every other day for 2 weeks and followed by a 2-week break as one treatment cycle. The primary endpoint was the SLE Responder Index-4 (SRI-4) at week 12. The secondary endpoints were other clinical responses, safety and dynamics of immune cell subsets.ResultsAt week 12, the SRI-4 response rates were 55.17% and 30.00% for IL-2 and placebo, respectively (p=0.052). At week 24, the SRI-4 response rate of IL-2 group was 65.52%, compared with 36.67% of the placebo group (p=0.027). The primary endpoint was not met at week 12. Low-dose IL-2 treatment resulted in 53.85% (7/13) complete remission in patients with lupus nephritis, compared with 16.67% (2/12) in the placebo group (p=0.036). No serious infection was observed in the IL-2 group, but two in placebo group. Besides expansion of regulatory T cells, low-dose IL-2 may also sustain cellular immunity with enhanced natural killer cells.ConclusionsLow-dose IL-2 might be effective and tolerated in treatment of SLE.Trial registration numberClinicalTrials.gov Registries (NCT02465580 and NCT02932137).


Lupus ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 096120332199010
Author(s):  
Vineeta Shobha ◽  
Anu Mohan ◽  
AV Malini ◽  
Puneet Chopra ◽  
Preethi Karunanithi ◽  
...  

Objective Despite the significant advancement in the understanding of the pathophysiology of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) variable clinical response to newer therapies remain a major concern, especially for patients with lupus nephritis and neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE). We performed this study with an objective to comprehensively characterize Indian SLE patients with renal and neuropsychiatric manifestation with respect to their gene signature, cytokine profile and immune cell phenotypes. Methods We characterized 68 Indian SLE subjects with diverse clinical profiles and disease activity and tried to identify differentially expressed genes and enriched pathways. To understand the temporal profile, same patients were followed at 6 and 12-months intervals. Additionally, auto-antibody profile, levels of various chemokines, cytokines and the proportion of different immune cells and their activation status were captured in these subjects. Results Multiple IFN-related pathways were enriched with significant increase in IFN-I gene signature in SLE patients as compared to normal healthy volunteers (NHV). We identified two transcriptionally distinct clusters within the same cohort of SLE patients with differential immune cell activation status, auto-antibody as well as plasma chemokines and cytokines profile. Conclusions Identification of two distinct clusters of patients based on IFN-I signature provided new insights into the heterogeneity of underlying disease pathogenesis of Indian SLE cohort. Importantly, patient within those clusters retain their distinct expression dynamics of IFN-I signature over the time course of one year despite change in disease activity. This study will guide clinicians and researchers while designing future clinical trials on Indian SLE cohort.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarfaraz A. Hasni ◽  
Sarthak Gupta ◽  
Michael Davis ◽  
Elaine Poncio ◽  
Yenealem Temesgen-Oyelakin ◽  
...  

AbstractIncreased risk of premature cardiovascular disease (CVD) is well recognized in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Aberrant type I-Interferon (IFN)-neutrophil interactions contribute to this enhanced CVD risk. In lupus animal models, the Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor tofacitinib improves clinical features, immune dysregulation and vascular dysfunction. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of tofacitinib in SLE subjects (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02535689). In this study, 30 subjects are randomized to tofacitinib (5 mg twice daily) or placebo in 2:1 block. The primary outcome of this study is safety and tolerability of tofacitinib. The secondary outcomes include clinical response and mechanistic studies. The tofacitinib is found to be safe in SLE meeting study’s primary endpoint. We also show that tofacitinib improves cardiometabolic and immunologic parameters associated with the premature atherosclerosis in SLE. Tofacitinib improves high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (p = 0.0006, CI 95%: 4.12, 13.32) and particle number (p = 0.0008, CI 95%: 1.58, 5.33); lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase concentration (p = 0.024, CI 95%: 1.1, −26.5), cholesterol efflux capacity (p = 0.08, CI 95%: −0.01, 0.24), improvements in arterial stiffness and endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation and decrease in type I IFN gene signature, low-density granulocytes and circulating NETs. Some of these improvements are more robust in subjects with STAT4 risk allele.


2009 ◽  
Vol 69 (6) ◽  
pp. 1144-1147 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Hartkamp ◽  
R Geenen ◽  
G L R Godaert ◽  
M Bijl ◽  
J W J Bijlsma ◽  
...  

ObjectiveDehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) has been reported to improve fatigue and reduced well-being. Both are major problems in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), even with quiescent disease. Low serum DHEA levels are common in SLE. The present work investigates the effects of DHEA administration on fatigue, well-being and functioning in women with inactive SLE.MethodsIn a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study, 60 female patients with inactive SLE received 200 mg oral DHEA or placebo. Primary outcome measures were general fatigue, depressive mood, mental well-being and physical functioning. Assessments were made before treatment, after 3, 6 and 12 months on medication, and 6 months after cessation of treatment.ResultsPatients from the DHEA and placebo group improved on general fatigue (p<0.001) and mental well-being (p=0.04). There was no differential effect of DHEA. The belief that DHEA had been used was a stronger predictor for improvement of general fatigue than the actual use of DHEA (p=0.04).ConclusionsThe trial does not indicate an effect of daily 200 mg oral DHEA on fatigue and well-being, and therefore DHEA treatment is not recommended in unselected female patients with quiescent SLE.Clinical Trials Registration Number NCT00391924


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