The Latest Lupus Research and Drug Developments

Treatment name

Type

Focus of Studies

Company or Organization

Anti-interferon alpha therapies

Hydroxychloroquine

Anti-malarial /
TLR antagonist

Recent studies to measure the reduction of lupus flares

Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris & Sanofi-Synthelab

Rontalizumab (rhuMAb IFNalpha)*

Anti-Interferon-alpha /
Monoclonal antibody

Safety and efficacy studies to evaluate anti-inflammatory benefits in lupus patients

Genentech

Sifalimumab (Medi-545)

Anti-Interferon-alpha /
Monoclonal antibody

Studies to measure safety and tolerability in lupus patients

Medimmune, Inc.

AGS-009*

Anti-Interferon-alpha /
Monoclonal antibody

Single dose escalation trial in SLE

Argos Therapeutics

IFNα Kinoid

Interferon-alpha vaccine

Dose escalation study in SLE

Neovacs

IMO-3100*

TLR7 and TLR9 blockers

Early studies evaluating anti-inflammatory effects (drug intended to block production of multiple pro-inflammatory cytokines)

Idera Pharmaceuticals

DV1179*

TLR7 and TLR9 inhibitor

Recent studies to measure the reduction of lupus flares

Dynavax Technologies
GlaxoSmithKline
National Institutes of Health

Anti-Cytokine therapies

CNTO-136

Anti-interleukin-6 antibody

Studies to measure the safety and efficacy in patients with lupus nephritis (inflammation of the kidneys)

Centocor, Inc.

AMG811

Anti-interferon-gamma /
monoclonal antibody

Study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and clinical efficacy in discoid lupus

Amgen

Immunosuppressive therapies

Mycophenolate mofetil (cellcept)

Immunosuppressant /
transplant anti-rejection drug

Organ transplant rejection drug being studied for lupus & lupus nephritis

Genentech / Roche, multiple institutions

Tacrolimus (sustained release capsules)

Immunosuppressant / transplant anti-rejection drug

Organ transplant rejection drug being studied for lupus & lupus nephritis

Multiple sites in Asia

Sirolimus

Immunosuppressant

Study in SLE

State University of New York-Upstate Medical Center

B-Cell therapies

Atacicept (TACI-Ig)*

B-cell inhibitor / recombinant fusion protein

Studies ongoing to pinpoint most effective dosing

EMD Serono

Epratuzumab (anti-CD22)*

B-cell inhibitor / Monoclonal antibody

Study of the CD22 protein

UCB and Immunomedics

SBI-087 (anti-CD20)

B cell-inhibitor / Small Modular
ImmunoPharmaceutical

Ascending single dose study

Pfizer

Benlysta® (FDA approved drug)
(Belimumab/anti-BLys)*

B-cell inhibitor /
monoclonal antibody

Long-term safety and efficacy studies continue

GlaxoSmithKline Human Genome Sciences

LY2127399
(anti-BAFF monoclonal antibody)

B-cell inhibitor / monoclonal antibody

Studies to measure the safety and tolerability in lupus patients

Eli Lilly

A623 (anti-BAFF)

Anti-BAFF peptibody

Efficacy, safety and tolerability in SLE

Anthera

Bortezomib (Velcade)

Proteosome inhibitor

Proliferative lupus nephritis

Weill Cornell Medical College

Immunomodulatory therapy

Lupuzor™ (CEP-33457)

CD4 T-Cell Modulator

Ongoing studies to measure efficacy; Lupuzor is thought to modulate, through a unique mechanism, a specific subset of CD4 T cells which play a critical role in the physiopathology of lupus

Cephalon

Abatacept (CTLA4-lg)*,
Orencia®

TNF Antagonists, rheumatoid
arthritis drug

Safety and efficacy studies to evaluate anti-inflammatory benefits in lupus patients

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Immune Tolerance Network Bristol Myers Squib

AMG557

Anti-B7RP-1

Active lupus nephritis

Amgen

Laquinimod

Immunomodulator

Mild active SLE

Teva

Paquinimod

Immunomodulator

Maintenance therapy for lupus nephritis

Active Biotech Research

Leflunomide

Immunomodulator

Single ascending dose study

RenJi Hospital

Medi-570

Anti-ICOS

Phase I dose escalating study

MedImmune/Astra Zeneca

CDP7657

Monovalent Fab PEG
Anti-CD40 ligand antibody

Safety and efficacy in subacute cutaneous lupus

UCB

KRP203

Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor antagonist

Recent studies to measure the reduction of lupus flares

Novartis

Other

Vitamin D*

Ongoing studies to evaluate the impact vitamin D has on alpha-interferon production in lupus patients; research indicates that a Vitamin D deficiency may impact the disease

Various

CC-11050

Phosphodiesterase 4
inhibitor

Discoid lupus and subacute cutaneous lupus

Celgene

Rosuvastatin

Statin

Study of atherosclerosis in SLE

Imperial College

N-acetylcysteine*

Precursor of glutathione

Treatment of SLE

State University of New York – Upstate Medical Center

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)

Steroid

To evaluate the potential the impact DHEA may have on lowering risk for cardiovascular disease in lupus patients

University of Michigan Arthritis Foundation

Duloxetine (Cymbalta)

SNRI

Pain reduction in SLE

Eli Lilly Brain Resource Center

Stem cell transplantation (following immunosuppression)

Study to evaluate infusing lupus patients with stem cell after the function of the immune is reduced through chemotherapy. (Stem cells are undeveloped cells that have the capacity to grow into mature blood cells, which normally circulate in the blood stream.)

Northwestern University

Levothyroxine

Thyroid hormone

Studies being designed to evaluate the drug’s potential to inhibit preterm delivery in lupus patients by regulating hypothyroidism

Johns Hopkins University New York University Medical Center Duke University University of Chicago Stanford University

*These studies are made possible, in part, through funding from the Alliance for Lupus Research.