The Rheumatologist
COVID-19 NewsACR Convergence
  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed
  • Home
  • Conditions
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • SLE (Lupus)
    • Crystal Arthritis
      • Gout Resource Center
    • Spondyloarthritis
    • Osteoarthritis
    • Soft Tissue Pain
    • Scleroderma
    • Vasculitis
    • Systemic Inflammatory Syndromes
    • Guidelines
  • Resource Centers
    • Axial Spondyloarthritis Resource Center
    • Gout Resource Center
    • Psoriatic Arthritis Resource Center
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis Resource Center
    • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Resource Center
  • Drug Updates
    • Biologics & Biosimilars
    • DMARDs & Immunosuppressives
    • Topical Drugs
    • Analgesics
    • Safety
    • Pharma Co. News
  • Professional Topics
    • Ethics
    • Legal
    • Legislation & Advocacy
    • Career Development
      • Certification
      • Education & Training
    • Awards
    • Profiles
    • President’s Perspective
    • Rheuminations
    • Interprofessional Perspective
  • Practice Management
    • Billing/Coding
    • Quality Assurance/Improvement
    • Workforce
    • Facility
    • Patient Perspective
    • Electronic Health Records
    • Apps
    • Information Technology
    • From the College
    • Multimedia
      • Audio
      • Video
  • Resources
    • Issue Archives
    • ACR Convergence
      • Gout Resource Center
      • Axial Spondyloarthritis Resource Center
      • Psoriatic Arthritis
      • Abstracts
      • Meeting Reports
      • ACR Convergence Home
    • American College of Rheumatology
    • ACR ExamRheum
    • Research Reviews
    • ACR Journals
      • Arthritis & Rheumatology
      • Arthritis Care & Research
      • ACR Open Rheumatology
    • Rheumatology Image Library
    • Treatment Guidelines
    • Rheumatology Research Foundation
    • Events
  • About Us
    • Mission/Vision
    • Meet the Authors
    • Meet the Editors
    • Contribute to The Rheumatologist
    • Subscription
    • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Search
You are here: Home / Articles / Researchers Test Belimumab in Scleroderma

Researchers Test Belimumab in Scleroderma

May 17, 2018 • By Catherine Kolonko

  • Tweet
  • Email
Print-Friendly Version / Save PDF
This salt-and-pepper appearance is characteristic of scleroderma.

This salt-and-pepper appearance is characteristic of scleroderma.

A yearlong pilot study that evaluated the safety and efficacy of belimumab in a small group of patients with early diffuse systemic sclerosis found no significant difference in the number of adverse events between those treated with the drug and those who received a placebo.

You Might Also Like
  • Subcutaneous Belimumab Improves Systemic Lupus Srythematosus Outcomes
  • Studies Show Promise for Scleroderma Therapy and Prediction of Progressing Disease
  • Ixekizumab Promising for Non-Radiographic Axial SpA; Plus FDA Approves Belimumab for Pediatric Lupus
Explore This Issue
May 2018

Currently, no drugs are approved specifically for the treatment of systemic sclerosis—also called scleroderma, says Jessica Gordon, MD, MSc, assistant attending physician for the Department of Rheumatology at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City and first author of the study published recently in Arthritis & Rheumatology. A human monoclonal antibody that inhibits B cell activating factor, belimumab (Benlysta)—an FDA-approved treatment for lupus—was chosen as a candidate for the pilot study because of the important role B cells play in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis.

ad goes here:advert-1
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

“There are similarities between scleroderma and lupus, including a significant role for B cells, so in this trial we investigated whether we could reappropriate a treatment that was already approved for lupus,” explains Dr. Gordon.

Background

Scleroderma is a rare autoimmune connective tissue disease that causes thickening of the skin and leads to complications for the lungs, heart, kidney and other organs, as well as vascular dysfunction, as often evidenced early on by Raynaud’s phenomenon, which causes numbing and coldness in the hands and feet. Patients may experience trouble breathing, cardiac arrhythmia, gastrointestinal difficulties and joint pain.

Dr. Gordon

Dr. Gordon

The disease is also highly heterogeneous: Organ system involvement and disease manifestation tend to differ from one patient to the next, says Dr. Gordon.

“One patient may have very severe skin or musculoskeletal disease,” she says. “Another patient may have very mild skin disease but could have severe lung disease.”

The Study

The industry-sponsored study involved 20 patients in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted by an investigator at a single center at HSS. All participants were 18 years or older, met ACR preliminary criteria for systemic sclerosis and had early diffuse systemic sclerosis of three years’ or shorter duration.

ad goes here:advert-3
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

The primary objective was to assess the safety and tolerability of belimumab in patients by comparing the number of adverse events between the belimumab and placebo groups. The primary efficacy endpoint was the difference in skin thickness as assessed by the modified Rodnan skin score (MRSS) after 52 weeks.

Secondary efficacy endpoints were evaluated with the use of surveys and questionnaires. Skin biopsies and serum B-lymphocyte stimulator levels also were assessed.

Pages: 1 2 3 | Single Page

Filed Under: Drug Updates, Scleroderma Tagged With: belimumab, SSc, Systemic sclerosisIssue: May 2018

You Might Also Like:
  • Subcutaneous Belimumab Improves Systemic Lupus Srythematosus Outcomes
  • Studies Show Promise for Scleroderma Therapy and Prediction of Progressing Disease
  • Ixekizumab Promising for Non-Radiographic Axial SpA; Plus FDA Approves Belimumab for Pediatric Lupus
  • Results from Belimumab Safety Study

ACR Convergence

Don’t miss rheumatology’s premier scientific meeting for anyone involved in research or the delivery of rheumatologic care or services.

Visit the ACR Convergence site »

Meeting Abstracts

Browse and search abstracts from the ACR Convergence and ACR/ARP Annual Meetings going back to 2012.

Visit the Abstracts site »

Rheumatology Research Foundation

The Foundation is the largest private funding source for rheumatology research and training in the U.S.

Learn more »

The Rheumatologist newsmagazine reports on issues and trends in the management and treatment of rheumatic diseases. The Rheumatologist reaches 11,500 rheumatologists, internists, orthopedic surgeons, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who practice, research, or teach in the field of rheumatology.

About Us / Contact Us / Advertise / Privacy Policy / Terms of Use / Cookie Preferences

  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed

Copyright © 2006–2023 American College of Rheumatology. All rights reserved.

ISSN 1931-3268 (print)
ISSN 1931-3209 (online)