title: Upcoming biological therapies in systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune condition with unpredictable course, intermingled with flares and periods of remission. Although the prognosis of the disease has improved in the past decades, current therapies are still associated with treatment-related complications. Recently, there has been major progress in the understanding of the pathogenesis of SLE, paving the way for the development of new biological agents, potentially revolutionizing the treatment of SLE. This review summarizes available data on novel biological therapies for SLE, focusing on recent results from clinical trials. As a result of treatment strategies based upon an individualized therapeutic approach, it is hoped that the clinical view of SLE will change from a severe autoimmune disease to a condition in which significant damage, mortality and treatment related complications can be prevented in the majority of SLE patients.
authors.affiliation: Centro di Ricerche di Immunologia Clinica ed Immunopatologia e Documentazione su Malattie Rare (CMID), Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, Università di Torino, Italy; Louise Coote Lupus Unit, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Savino
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sciascia
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Department, University Hospital "Reina Sofia", Cordoba, Spain.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Talavera-Garcia
authors.affiliation: Centro di Ricerche di Immunologia Clinica ed Immunopatologia e Documentazione su Malattie Rare (CMID), Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, Università di Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roccatello
authors.affiliation: Centro di Ricerche di Immunologia Clinica ed Immunopatologia e Documentazione su Malattie Rare (CMID), Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, Università di Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baldovino
authors.affiliation: Experimental Medicine and Clinical Pathology Unit, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, Università di Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mengatti
authors.affiliation: Louise Coote Lupus Unit, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK. Electronic address: mjcuadrado@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Maria Jose
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Cuadrado
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001688:Biological Products / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001691:Biological Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products
keywords: Belimumab; Biological agents; Rituximab; Systemic lupus erythematosus