New Lupus Treatments on Horizon Due to Research Breakthrough

A recent study published in Nature has identified a potential root cause of lupus, an autoimmune disease that affects over 1.5 million individuals in the United States. This discovery is significant as it could pave the way for new treatments for the disease, which damages various organs including the skin, joints, kidneys, and brain.

Lupus occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own tissues and organs, leading to widespread inflammation and damage. The exact cause of lupus is still unknown, but it is believed to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Women and certain ethnic groups are more susceptible to the disease.

One of the major findings of the study involves an imbalance in immune-system cells known as ‘T cells.’ Researchers compared blood samples from 19 lupus patients to those from healthy individuals and found that lupus patients had a decreased production of T cells that aid in healing and an increased production of T cells that generate autoantibodies to attack healthy cells.

Diagnosis of lupus can be challenging due to its varied symptoms, which often resemble those of other conditions. Symptoms can affect multiple parts of the body including the skin, joints, kidneys, brain, heart, and lungs. Therefore, treatment plans must be tailored to the individual's specific symptoms and the organs involved.

Medications to manage lupus include anti-inflammatory drugs, antimalarial drugs, and immunosuppressants. Antimalarial drugs such as hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine have been shown to decrease the frequency and severity of lupus flare-ups. These medications work by modulating an overactive immune system, thereby reducing inflammation and pain, especially in the skin and joints. They also offer cardiovascular protection and may lower the risk of blood clots, a significant concern for lupus patients.

For more severe cases, antimalarials are often used in combination with immunosuppressants. Common immunosuppressants used in lupus treatment include methotrexate, azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil, and cyclophosphamide. Depending on the drug and the patient's condition, these can be administered either orally or intravenously. However, the use of immunosuppressants comes with risks, as they make patients more vulnerable to infections due to the suppressed immune system.

Several pharmaceutical companies specialize in lupus medications. GlaxoSmithKline produces Benlysta, based on belimumab, while AstraZeneca offers Saphnelo, anifrolumab-fnia. Aurinia Pharmaceuticals produces Lupkynis, voclosporin, and Roche markets Rituxan, rituximab. Bristol Myers Squibb has Orencia, abatacept, Eli Lilly offers Olumiant, baricitinib, and Pfizer produces Xeljanz, tofacitinib.

In the category of antimalarials, Sanofi manufactures Plaquenil, hydroxychloroquine. For anti-inflammatory treatments, Novartis offers Ilaris, canakinumab, Janssen Pharmaceuticals provides Remicade, infliximab, and UCB markets Cimzia, certolizumab pegol.

Despite the challenges in treatment, the recent study’s findings on the imbalance of T cells in lupus patients offer hope for new, targeted therapies that could improve patient outcomes in the future.