WASHINGTON – The first new treatment for lupus in a half-century won approval in the US on Wednesday, a milestone for patients with the disabling disease and a potential blockbuster for its tiny biotech maker.
Health officials cleared Benlysta, discovered by Human Genome Sciences Inc, to combat the disease that causes the immune system to attack joints and organs and has proved a difficult illness to study and treat.
Lupus causes a range of symptoms including arthritis, kidney damage, chest pain, skin rashes, severe fatigue and other problems. Symptoms often wax and wane. The organ damage can be fatal.
An estimated 5 million people worldwide have the disease. Current drugs often fail to help or cause harsh side effects, such as severe bone loss from steroids. – (Reuters)
