Belimumab paediatric trial results ‘consistent with adult studies’

Longer follow-up needed to see renal outcomes, commentator says
Reuters Health Staff writer
filling a syringe from a vial

Intravenous belimumab 10mg/kg every four weeks was safe and effective in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) say the authors of a phase-2 placebo-controlled trial.

US researchers randomised 93 children between the ages of 5-17 (median 14.5 years, 45% female) to 10mg/kg IV belimumab or placebo every four weeks, plus standard SLE therapy.