Anifrolumab may be an effective treatment option for patients with discoid lupus erythematosus who were resistant to standard therapies such as hydroxychloroquine, methotrexate, prednisone, and mycophenolate mofetil, according to a report from MedPage Today summarizing a recent study. In the new study—published by Shaw et al in JAMA Dermatology—researchers assigned eight patients to receive anifrolumab and demonstrated that the novel medication was capable of improving all of the patients’ Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus Disease Area and Severity Index activity subscale scores by 65%, as well as pruritus and pain after 8 weeks. However, on the 56-point damage subscale, none of the eight patients saw improvements greater than 2 points. Anifrolumab works by targeting the type 1 interferon receptor subunit 1 to reduce disease activity. In a previous study, researchers discovered that anifrolumab was 49% successful at reducing skin manifestations by 50%. Though the researchers reported the medication’s potential as a viable therapeutic option for patients with discoid lupus erythematosus, they concluded that larger studies will be needed to more fully understand the benefits of anifrolumab.
May 25, 2023