A Promising New Medication to Treat Lupus?

Lupus is a potentially debilitating disease that can affect any part of the body. It even has the ability to mimic other diseases and conditions, making it difficult to diagnose. Many people suffer for years before finally being diagnosed. Unfortunately, diagnosis is only part of the problems with lupus. Treatment of the disease is another major issue. For many years, there hasn't been a medication created specifically for lupus. Lupus sufferers are often prescribed anti-malarials, corticosteroids, immunosuppressants and various medications for pain, depending on severity and frequency. For those who have suffered from side-effects of these potentially dangerous medications normally prescribed, which can sometimes cause problems even more dangerous than the disease itself, a new and very promising medication may soon be available. This possible new medication, Benlysta, which is still in its experimental stages, will be the first medication created specifically for the treatment of lupus in over 50 years, which is great news for doctors who are at their wits ends as well as patients tired of suffering with various symptoms that won't respond to other treatments.

Benlysta is classified as a new group of medications called BLYS specific inhibitors. These inhibitors, which were discovered by HGS 13 years ago, work by recognizing and reducing the biological activity of B-lymphocyte stimulators. Patients with lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and several other autoimmune diseases are thought to have elevated levels of B-lymphocyte, which cause the body to attack itself and wipe out healthy cells. Benlysta has been tested in several clinical trials, and participants suffering from lupus and other autoimmune diseases had very favorable results compared to the placebo. Nearing the end of several phase-3 clinical trials, researchers are hopeful that the medication will soon be approved for marketing in the United States as well as Europe.

Like the anti-malarials that are often prescribed for lupus patients, Belysta can take anywhere from 50 - 70 weeks or longer to become fully effective and drastically improve symptoms in lupus. Although it may appear to be a long time, researchers feel it will be very well worth the wait for many who have run out of options.

Final FDA approval is expected by the end of 2010, which will give hope to thousands of lupus patients who have not responded to other medications, or who have suffered from a number of undesirable side-effects. Researchers are excited about the prospect of Belysta helping to improve the quality of numerous lupus patients' lives. So if you or someone you love has lupus, Benlysta may be a possible treatment option in the near future.

References

Lupus Research Institute Medication News Page - http://lupusresearchinstitute.org/news/drug_development

HGS, Benlysta Information - http://www.hgsi.com/BENLYSTA.html