title: Post-marketing experiences with belimumab in the treatment of SLE patients.
abstract: Belimumab (Benlysta) is a human recombinant monoclonal antibody that targets and inhibits soluble B-lymphocyte stimulator, also known as B-cell activating factor, a proliferation and survival factor for B cells. The published clinical trials data showed that in patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), belimumab effectively reduced peripheral B-cell levels and improved disease activity. This article reviews the belimumab clinical trials and the post-marketing experience with belimumab in the treatment of those lupus patients with persistent active disease despite current standard of care (SOC) therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, 630 West 168th Street, P&S 10-508, New York, NY 10032, USA. Electronic address: ada20@columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Anca D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Askanase
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, 1001 Potrero Avenue, SFGH 30, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
authors.forename: Jinoos
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yazdany
authors.affiliation: GlaxoSmithKline, 5 Crescent Drive, Philadelphia, PA 10112, USA.
authors.forename: Charles T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Molta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D064887:Observational Studies as Topic; D011358:Product Surveillance, Postmarketing / Q000379:methods; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; C511911:belimumab
keywords: Belimumab; Lupus; Observational studies; SLE