Health Conditions

What is on the horizon?

Although there is not a cure for lupus today, scientists are developing new and better ways to study lupus, with the dual goals of improving the quality of life for lupus sufferers and ultimately conquering the disease. Researchers are currently focusing on finding new treatment options for lupus, including treatments that minimize the use of corticosteroids, as well as more effective drug combinations. Researchers are also trying to gain a better understanding of the role genetics plays in lupus, which will provide insights that help in both the diagnosis and prevention of lupus.

Under study for women with SLE is dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) or Prestara, an investigational new drug. DHEA is the most abundant sex hormone in both men and women and has found to be deficient in patients with lupus. Supplementation with Prestara has shown to reduce flare-ups and steroid requirements.

Investigational monoclonal antibodies, such as anti-C5 and anti-BLyS, target and inactivate specific processes of the immune system in order to prevent lupus flare-ups. In addition, the cancer medication rituximab, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, has shown promise as an alternative therapy for lupus. In a small study, treatment with rituximab was associated with a reduction in lupus symptoms and was safe; however, more studies are needed to better determine its role in the treatment of lupus.

Early research involving stem cell transplantation (SCT) in patients with severe lupus has also shown promising results. A recent study showed that certain patients with lupus that did not respond to treatment with standard therapies had substantial improvement in disease activity several years following the transplant procedure, which used the patients? own stem cells. Additional studies are needed to compare the safety and effectiveness of SCT with standard treatments.