Trial drug Lupuzor may treat lupus

Patients with lupus may benefit from a new drug that is currently progressing through clinical trials, called Lupuzor.

The drug is designed to target the immune cells that function inappropriately in people with lupus, while still maintaining the overall effectiveness of the immune system.

Researchers have now published final results from a phase IIb trial of the drug, which was given to around half of the 150 patients with lupus who were involved in the study.

Participants received injections containing 200mcg of Lupuzor either once or twice a month for three months, or a placebo (dummy treatment).

Analysis revealed that patients who received Lupuzor typically benefited from a clinically significant improvement in symptoms, and that few side-effects were experienced.

After 12 weeks, 53 per cent of patients who used Lupuzor once a month and 45 per cent of twice-monthly users had achieved the desired response to the drug.

Patients with moderate-to-severe systemic lupus tended to benefit the most from using Lupuzor, with 62 per cent of those receiving monthly injections reporting significant improvements.

The researchers also followed patients for a further 12 weeks after they had stopped using Lupuzor and found that an even greater number of patients with moderate-to-severe lupus (70 per cent) were reporting a positive response by the end of the period.

Dr Robert Zimmer, president and chief scientific officer at ImmuPharma, commented: "We are absolutely delighted that Lupuzor's phase IIb study has delivered such very encouraging clinical efficacy data, reaching statistical significance in the moderate-to-severe subgroup and with an overall efficacy peaking at 70 per cent.

"The information gathered in this study ... paves the way for a medical and commercial success of Lupuzor."

A spokeswoman for the Arthritis Research Campaign welcomed the findings, adding that results of the next stage of phase III trials would be awaited with interest.

© Adfero Ltd

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