Abstract
Conventional immunosuppressive therapies have radically transformed patient survival in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but their use is associated with considerable toxicity and a substantial proportion of patients remain refractory to treatment. A more comprehensive understanding of the complexity of SLE immunopathogenesis has evolved over the past decade and has led to the testing of several biologic agents in clinical trials. There is a clear need for new therapeutic agents that overcome these issues, and biologic agents offer exciting prospects as future SLE therapies.An array of promising new therapies are currently emerging or are under development including B-cell depletion therapies, agents targeting B-cell survival factors, blockade of T-cell co-stimulation and anti-cytokine therapies, such as monoclonal antibodies against interleukin-6 and interferon-α.
Highlights
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune rheumatic disease, characterized by unpredictable exacerbations and remissions
Conventional immunosuppressive therapies have radically transformed patient survival in SLE, but their use is associated with considerable toxicity and a substantial proportion of patients remain refractory to treatment
A more comprehensive understanding of the complexity of SLE immunopathogenesis has evolved over the past decade and has led to the testing of several biologic agents in clinical trials
Summary
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex autoimmune rheumatic disease, characterized by unpredictable exacerbations and remissions. Despite advances in the clinical management of lupus nephritis in recent decades with earlier diagnosis of disease and optimization of the currently available immunosuppressive regimens, an estimated 10% to 15% of patients progress to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) [5]. The rate of progression to ESRD reached a plateau in the third decade These results suggest that the benefits of conventional immunosuppressive therapies have been maximized and if further advances in SLE outcomes are to be achieved, novel therapeutic targets must be developed [7]. A recent review of the efficacy of rituximab in the management of SLE patients with biopsy-proven severe lupus nephritis from pooled data in European cohorts (n = 164) reported the clinical efficacy of rituximab in clinical practice [11]. This open-label data, showing that approximately two-thirds of patients previously unresponsive to conventional therapies had clinical benefit,
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
