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The bm12 Inducible Model of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) in C57BL/6 Mice
Published on: November 1, 2015
Human clinical trials in lupus nephritis
Mary Anne Dooley1, Ronald J Falk
1Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. mary_dooley@med.unc.edu
Seminars in Nephrology
|March 6, 2007
Summary
Long-term survival in lupus nephritis necessitates focusing on safer treatments beyond cyclophosphamide. Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and emerging therapies offer improved management with fewer adverse effects for lupus nephritis patients.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Immunology
- Rheumatology
Background:
- Improved patient survival in lupus nephritis shifts focus to long-term management and reduced therapy toxicity.
- Traditional immunosuppressants like cyclophosphamide have significant adverse effects, driving the search for safer alternatives.
- Clinical trial design in lupus nephritis faces challenges in standardizing high-risk stratification, response criteria, and activity/damage indices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the evolving landscape of lupus nephritis treatment, emphasizing newer therapeutic agents and their impact on long-term outcomes.
- To highlight the established role of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and discuss emerging treatments for lupus nephritis.
- To underscore the growing importance of treatment toxicity and relapse risk in selecting therapeutic agents for lupus nephritis.
Main Methods:
- Review of randomized controlled trials and clinical trial data for lupus nephritis treatments.
- Analysis of established and emerging therapeutic agents, including mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), rituximab, and abatacept.
- Discussion of challenges and emerging consensus in lupus nephritis clinical trial design.
Main Results:
- Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) has demonstrated efficacy in randomized controlled trials for lupus nephritis treatment.
- Newer agents like rituximab and abatacept are under investigation in current clinical trials for lupus nephritis.
- Improved long-term outcomes in lupus nephritis necessitate careful consideration of treatment toxicity and relapse rates.
Conclusions:
- Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is an established treatment option for lupus nephritis, offering an alternative to more toxic regimens.
- Emerging therapies show promise for lupus nephritis management, aiming to further improve long-term outcomes and reduce adverse effects.
- The choice of therapy for lupus nephritis is increasingly influenced by a balance between efficacy, treatment toxicity, and risk of relapse.
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