20.12.19
Study finds 'breakthrough' Lupus drug
There has been a breakthrough in Lupus research discovered at the University of Manchester.
The University announced yesterday (Dec 19) that a ‘life-changing’ new drug could be available to Lupus patients in the future thanks to new research.
The study is called TULIP, which stands for ‘Treatment of Uncontrolled Lupus via the Interferon Pathway’, and consisted of two different studies.
The results of ‘TULIP I’ were published in the Lancet Rheumatology last month and the results from TULIP II have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), one of the most prestigious, peer-reviewed medical journals in the world.
The study programme evaluated the efficiency and safety of a possible new drug, Anifrolumab, within patients with moderately to severely active Systemic Lupus Erythrmatosus (SLE).
Professor Ian Bruce, Director of NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) Consultant Rheumatologist at Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI), and Chair in Rheumatology at The University of Manchester said:
“This drug is a real breakthrough for people with lupus, a long-term condition causing inflammation to the joints, skin and other organs.
“There is currently no cure for lupus. Symptoms include joint pain and stiffness, extreme tiredness and skin rashes – often over the nose and cheeks. Lupus can be a painful condition often, with a debilitating psychological impact.
“Basic research has shown that proteins called interferons, which we normally use to fight viral infections such as the flu, are increased in patients with lupus. Anifrolumab was designed to block the effects of interferons.
“The results demonstrate that anifrolumab achieved a statistically significant reduction in overall disease activity, as well as statistically significant reductions in both the requirement to use oral steroids and the extent and severity of skin rashes – all of which is fantastic for patients.”
The drug has passed the early trial phases successfully, and applications can now be made for anifrolumab to be licenced for use in the UK. It will need to be assessed by NICE before becoming available on the NHS.