Lessons learned from the failure of several recent trials with biologic treatment in systemic lupus erythematosus

Introduction: Treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) represents a challenge due to variable disease manifestations, clinical course, and outcome. Long-term outcome in SLE remain unsatisfactory and a search for new therapeutic options is definitely warranted. Despite expectations, most clinical trials performed in SLE and lupus nephritis in the last decade did not reach primary outcome, and the only drug that has been licensed is belimumab. Areas covered: Results of negative trials testing monoclonal antibodies and other biologic agents in SLE are briefly summarized. Reasons for the failure of the trials are listed and discussed. Expert opinion: Future studies should recruit patients with similar organ involvement, better defined disease manifestations, higher activity, and similar severity. In addition to testing higher efficacy if given as add-on treatment to standard-of-care, the trials should be aimed at reducing dosing, or completely eliminating some parts of the current standard treatment, especially corticosteroids. Median follow-up of the patients should be longer. Moreover, specific biomarkers are needed to help to identify eligible patients and to better define response to treatment. An urgent unmet need is testing these new drugs in patients with severe SLE (including those refractory to current treatment).