Drug Can Stave Off Organ Damage From Lupus

Follow Drugslib on

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Feb 19, 2025.

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 19, 2025 -- Lupus can do irreversible harm to a person’s organs, damaging the lungs, kidneys, heart, liver and other vital organs through inflammation.

But a newer lupus drug appears to protect patients from much of this organ damage, a new study suggests.

Anifrolumab (brand name Saphnelo) reduced the risk of long-term organ damage progression by about 60% in patients with moderately to severely active lupus, researchers reported in a new study published this month in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

“Anifrolumab plus standard of care (SOC) is effective at reducing organ damage accumulation and prolonging time to organ damage progression compared to SOC alone over 4 years,” a team led by Dr. Zahi Touma, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Toronto, concluded.

People with lupus are typically treated using a combination of inflammation-quelling meds like steroids, antimalarials, immunosuppressants and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, researchers said in background notes

But these drugs don't stop organ damage from lupus, and in some cases might even contribute to it, researchers said.

They decided to see if a newer drug, anifrolumab, might better help prevent organ damage if added to the existing brew used to treat lupus patients.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved anifrolumab in 2021 for treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus, the most common form of lupus.

Anifolumab Is a monoclonal antibody that works by blocking the receptors for type 1 interferon, a biochemical that plays a key role in promoting inflammation, researchers said.

It’s given once a month via an IV drip, according to Drugs.com.

For the trial, researchers compared 354 patients prescribed anifrolumab against 561 patients who received the usual care for lupus. All of these patients participated in the clinical trials that led to anifrolumab’s approval in the U.S.

Results showed that people taking anifrolumab scored about 0.43 points lower on an index tracking organ damage caused by lupus.

A 1-point increase in that index has previously been associated with a 34% increase in a lupus patient’s risk of premature death, researchers noted.

Anifrolumab patients also had a 61% lower risk of having their organ damage get worse, results show.

The study was paid for by AstraZeneca, which manufactures Saphnelo.

Sources

  • Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, Feb. 1, 2025

    • Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

    Source: HealthDay

    Posted : 2025-02-20 00:00

    Read more

    Disclaimer

    Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

    The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

    Popular Keywords