Phase II Randomized Trial of Rituximab Plus Cyclophosphamide Followed by Belimumab for the Treatment of Lupus Nephritis.
Yemil Atisha-FregosoSusan MalkielKristina M HarrisMargie ByronLinna DingSai KanaparthiWilliam T BarryWendy GaoKristin RykerPatti TostaAnca D AskanaseSusan A BoackleW Winn ChathamDiane L KamenEdward M BehrensKyriakos A KirouSung Sam LimBradley MarderMaureen McMahonSamir V ParikhWilliam F PendergraftAmber S PodollAmit SaxenaDavid WofsyBetty DiamondDawn Elaine SmilekCynthia AranowMaria Dall'EraPublished in: Arthritis & rheumatology (Hoboken, N.J.) (2020)
The addition of belimumab to a treatment regimen with rituximab and CYC was safe in patients with refractory LN. This regimen diminished maturation of transitional to naive B cells during B cell reconstitution, and enhanced the negative selection of autoreactive B cells. Clinical efficacy was not improved with rituximab and CYC in combination with belimumab when compared to a therapeutic strategy of B cell depletion alone in patients with LN.