The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved the first
new drug to treat lupus in over 50 years, a milestone that
medical experts say could prompt development of other drugs that
are even more effective in treating the debilitating immune
system disorder. Known as Benlysta, the injectable drug is
designed to relieve flare-ups and pain caused by lupus, a
little-understood and potentially fatal ailment in which the
body attacks its own tissue and organs. Biotech drugmaker Human
Genome Sciences Inc. spent 15 years developing Benlysta and will
co-market it with GlaxoSmithKline PLC. The companies estimate
there are at least 200,000 lupus patients in the U.S. who could
benefit from the drug. But experts stress that Benlysta is not a
miracle drug: It only worked in 35 percent of North American
patients tested and was not effective for patients with the
deadliest form of the disease. Additionally, it did not show
positive results in African Americans, who are
disproportionately affected by lupus. FDA said i