Landmark visits for Group A are defined as: 1.) screening (pre-dose, on background meds with active disease) 2.) two weeks or four weeks after screening as optimal to assess a patient who has stopped background meds and is now maximally improved (but at least one grade drop in BILAG scores in all organs entered at A or B or a four point drop in SLEDAI, otherwise the participant is deemed a treatment failure and could not participate further in Group A. 3.) Flare visit on no background immune suppression defined as an increase in SLEDAI of 4 points from maximal improvement or one new BILAG moderate (B) score AND the investigator considers the condition to be a significant flare with intent to treat. Patients were (whenever possible) seen within 3 days for the flare visit if flare occured between monthly scheduled visits.