WebMD Health News Louise Chang, MD Oct. 20, 2009 (Philadelphia)
-- The first in a new class of experimental drugs that targets
the disease process involved in lupus beat out standard
treatment in a large clinical trial, researchers say. If the
findings hold up, the drug, Benlysta, could become the first new
drug for lupus in five decades. About 1.5 million Americans have
lupus, a complex disease in which the immune system attacks a
person's own tissues, wreaking havoc on the joints, skin and
other organs. Benlysta dampens the abnormal immune signals,
calming down the immune system. The new study involved 865
patients on standard therapy, including steroids, for lupus.
One-third were also given a high dose of Benlysta, one-third a
low dose, and one-third received a placebo. Sandra V. Navarra,
MD, head of rheumatology at the University of Santo Tomas,
Manila, Philippines, reported the findings at the 73rd Annual
Scientific Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology.
After one year, 58% of patients on high-