Researchers from MedImmune, a division of pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, earlier this week presented their findings of a Phase II trial of anifrolumab, which is used to treat moderate to severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
More than half the patients who took the drug in the trial achieved positive results.
“These positive results for anifrolumab represent real hope for patients with lupus," MedImmune Senior Vice President of Research and Development for Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity Bing Yao said.
The presentation was made at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2015 annual Scientific Meeting in San Francisco, California.
Anifrolumab is a new monoclonal antibody against the Type I interferon (IFN) receptor that inhibits the activity of all Type I IFNs, which play a central role in lupus, AstraZeneca said.
“The lupus community has been disappointed too often with clinical trial results," Principal Investigator Richard Furie, chief of the division of rheumatology at North Shore-LIJ Health System, said. "We have been eagerly awaiting clinical data of this magnitude for many years. These results provide very compelling evidence that blocking the Type 1 interferon system with an inhibitor of the Type I interferon receptor is a promising strategy for the treatment of SLE and support the progression of anifrolumab into Phase III.”
