Biological Therapy in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Table 1

Biological therapies proposed for SLE treatment.

Biologic drug	Main results
B-cell targets
Anti-CD20 antibody
Rituximab	Effective in treating refractory SLE [10, 11]; Improvements in disease activity [12, 13]; No benefit in proliferative lupus nephritis [14, 15]
Ocrelizumab	No benefit in lupus nephritis [16, 17]
Anti-CD22 antibody
Epratuzumab	Improvement in BILAG scores [18]; Reduction in corticosteroid doses with a good safety profile [19, 20]
B-lymphocyte tolerogens
Abetimus	No long-term benefit in patients with lupus nephritis [21]
Edratide	No results released [22]
BLyS blockers
Belimumab	Reduction in activity and new flares [23]
Atacicept	Significant decrease in IgM and IgG levels [24]
T-cell target and costimulatory blockers
Abatacept	Improvements in non-life- threatening SLE manifestations [25, 26]
IDEC-131	No clinically effective in human SLE [27]
Efalizumab	Reduction in cutaneous SLE manifestations [28]
AMG557	No results released [29]
Sirolimus	Safe and effective for refractory SLE [30]
Cytokine inhibition
Anti-TNF-α
Infliximab	Long-term efficacy for lupus nephritis [31]
Anti-IFN-α/-γ
Sifalimumab; Rontalizumab; AMG 811	No results released [32]; No results released [33]; No results released [34]
Anti-IL-1
Anakinra	Improvements in SLE arthritis [35]
Anti-IL-6
Tocilizumab	Improvements in clinical and serologic responses [36]
Anti-IL-10
B-N10^a	Improvements in disease activity [37]

^aMurine Lupus; BILAG: The British Isles Lupus Assessment Group; BLyS: B cell survival molecule B lymphocyte stimulator; Ig: immunoglobulin; TNF: tumor necrosis factor; INF: interferon; IL:interleukin.