Epratuzumab for systemic lupus erythematosus.
BACKGROUND
Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune multiorgan disease in which the lack of an appropriate therapy can lead to rapid organ failure and death. Immunosuppressive therapies such as corticosteroids or cyclophosphamide can slow down the disease progression but sometimes other therapies are needed. Among such therapies, epratuzumab, an antiCD22 antibody, can be potentially efficacious in this disease.


METHODS
Discussion of the results from clinical studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of epratuzumab in patients with moderate or severe systemic lupus erythematosus.


CONCLUSIONS
The study demonstrates that epratuzumab can improve the quality of life and can reduce the disease activity burden, but the premature termination of the studies might have limited the generation of further efficacy data.
University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Department of Interdisciplinarity - Palliative Care Nursing , 16 Universităţii Str, Iasi, 700115, Grigore T Popa Iasi , Romania sabina.antonela.antoniu@pneum.umfiasi.ro.
Sabina
S
Antoniu
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
BILAG scores; epratuzumab; lupus; quality of life