How does Benlysta help lupus?
Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on April 1, 2024.
Benlysta helps lupus by reducing disease activity and flares and decreasing the need for steroid medications by up to 25%. Benlysta works for lupus by binding to a substance called BLyS, which helps B cells to survive for longer. When Benlysta is attached to BLyS, BLyS can no longer bind to and stimulate autoreactive B cells.
Autoreactive B cells are overactive B cells that attack normal tissue causing inflammation instead of just producing antibodies as normal B cells do. B cells are a type of lymphocyte, and an important part of our immune system and people with lupus develop too many autoreactive B cells.
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Benlysta and Saphnelo are both targeted treatments, but they target different parts of the immune system that are particularly overactive in lupus. Benlysta targets and blocks the activity of a type of white blood cell called a B cell, which produces antibodies that attack tissue, causing symptoms of SLE. It is classified as a B-lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS)-specific inhibitor. Saphnelo targets the type I interferon receptor and inhibits the activity of type 1 interferons. Activation of the interferon system is a common underlying characteristic of SLE that leads to the immune system being constantly “switched on”, contributing to SLE symptoms. Saphnelo is classified as a type 1 interferon receptor antagonist. Benlysta was first approved in 2011 and Saphnelo was approved in 2021. Continue reading
Benlysta is an injectable medicine approved to treat children 5 years of age and older and adults with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and active lupus nephritis (lupus-related kidney inflammation) who are receiving other lupus medicines. Lupkynis is only approved by the FDA to treat lupus nephritis in adults and comes as an oral capsule taken by mouth twice per day. Continue reading
Although weight gain is not listed as a side effect of Benlysta in the product information, a phase IV clinical study that analyzed side effect information from 14,100 people who had taken Benlysta reported weight gain as a side effect for 2.87% of them (404 people). Continue reading
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