Additional Lupus data
US biotech company La Jolla has announced additional data from its Phase III and Phase II/III clinical trials of Riquent (abetimus sodium) which showed that after one year of treatment, the number of lupus patients with a reduction in proteinuria of at least 50% from baseline was greater in the Riquent-treated group than in the placebo-treated group.
US biotech company La Jolla has announced additional data from its Phase III and Phase II/III clinical trials of Riquent (abetimus sodium) which showed that after one year of treatment, the number of lupus patients with a reduction in proteinuria of at least 50% from baseline was greater in the Riquent-treated group than in the placebo-treated group.
Proteinuria, or protein in the urine, results from ongoing kidney inflammation. The reduction of proteinuria is one of the goals for the treatment of lupus patients with renal disease. Monitoring the level of a patient's proteinuria is a routine and important way to help determine the severity of renal disease. These data were included in the company's New Drug Application for Riquent that is currently being reviewed by the FDA. 'The reductions in proteinuria we observed in patients treated with Riquent are encouraging because a marked increase in proteinuria often corresponds to more severe kidney inflammation and is an indication of the need for additional treatment,' said Dr Kenneth Heilbrunn, vice president of Clinical Development.
About Lupus and Riquent
Lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE) is a chronic, life-threatening autoimmune disease. About 90% of lupus patients are female, and many develop the disease during their childbearing years. Approximately 50% of lupus patients have renal disease, which can lead to irreversible kidney damage, kidney failure and the need for dialysis. Latinos, African Americans and Asians face an increased risk of serious renal disease associated with lupus. Riquent is designed to reduce levels of antibodies to double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) that are believed to be responsible for lupus renal disease, a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in lupus patients. The current standard of care for lupus renal disease often involves treatment with high doses of corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs that can cause severe side effects including diabetes, hypertension and sterility, and may leave patients vulnerable to opportunistic infections