BENLYSTA for Lupus
Erica
Real patient
compensated by GSK
What Kind of Medicine is BENLYSTA?
BENLYSTA (belimumab) is a biologic therapy, not a steroid. It is taken in addition to your other lupus medications and is available in three options for adults with lupus and lupus nephritis:
- an autoinjector you self-inject
- a prefilled syringe you self-inject
- an intravenous (IV) infusion a healthcare provider administers
For children ages 5 and above with lupus, BENLYSTA is available as an IV infusion.
What’s Different About BENLYSTA?
Unlike other medicines used to treat lupus, BENLYSTA was specifically designed for lupus. In fact, it is the first and only approved treatment designed for lupus.
In many people with lupus, certain white blood cells called autoreactive B cells (cells that react against the body) stay in the body longer than they should. One of the important proteins for the growth of these B cells is called B-lymphocyte stimulator, or BLyS. BENLYSTA works by binding to BLyS. When BENLYSTA is attached to BLyS, BLyS can no longer bind to and stimulate the autoreactive B cells.
Why BENLYSTA?
Whether you have active lupus or lupus nephritis, adding BENLYSTA to your treatment plan may help.
Adult Patients
In three clinical studies of adult patients with active lupus, BENLYSTA*:
- Significantly reduced lupus disease activity mainly due to improvements in the immune system, muscles, mouth, joints, and skin
- Significantly reduced risk of severe flares in two of the three studies†
- Reduced steroid dose by 25% or more (to a daily dose of 7.5 mg or less) during Weeks 40-52, in patients receiving 7.5 mg or higher daily doses of steroid at the start of the study†‡
* These studies were used in the FDA approval of BENLYSTA.
† Compared to other lupus medicines alone.
‡ A reduction of steroid dose was seen but was not statistically significant.
Results may vary.
Ask your doctor if BENLYSTA is right for you.
Pediatric Patients (5 years and above)
When added to other medicines commonly used to treat lupus, compared to those medicines alone, BENLYSTA IV has been observed to§:
- Reduce lupus disease activity§
- Reduce the chance of severe flares§
§Because lupus doesn’t occur in children very often, the pediatric study had a much smaller number of patients than the adult studies of BENLYSTA. The study in children was still able to support that BENLYSTA worked, with results similar to those from the adult studies. Due to the small size of the study, however, there was no way to confirm the effect or the consistency of the results.
Please note that these are findings based upon a study in pediatric patients.
Your child’s individual results may vary.
BENLYSTA was studied in multiple clinical trials
BENLYSTA was studied in the largest successfully completed series of adult lupus clinical trials. BENLYSTA was also studied in the largest and longest lupus nephritis clinical trial ever conducted.
Study |
Characteristics |
BLISS-SC |
Evaluated the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of BENLYSTA subcutaneous (SC) + other lupus medicines compared to other lupus medicines alone in adult patients with active SLE. Duration: 52 weeks. |
BLISS-52 |
Evaluated the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of BENLYSTA intravenous (IV) infusion + other lupus medicines compared to other lupus medicines alone in adult patients with active SLE. Duration: 52 weeks. |
BLISS-76 |
Evaluated the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of BENLYSTA intravenous (IV) infusion + other lupus medicines compared to other lupus medicines alone in adult patients with active SLE. Duration: 76 weeks. |
BLISS-LN |
Evaluated the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of BENLYSTA intravenous (IV) infusion + other lupus medicines compared to other lupus medicines alone in adult patients with active, biopsy-proven LN. Duration: 104 weeks. |
The adult trials BLISS-SC, BLISS-52, and BLISS-76 showed that people treated with a combination of BENLYSTA and other lupus medicines experienced a superior reduction in disease activity at Week 52 compared to people who received the other lupus medicines alone.
The adult trial BLISS-LN showed that people treated with a combination of BENLYSTA and other lupus medicines experienced a reduction in kidney disease activity at Week 104 as measured by maintaining kidney function, reducing protein in the urine, and reducing the need for rescue medicines|| compared to people who received the other lupus medicines alone.
||Rescue medicines such as steroids >10 mg/day.
Learn about BENLYSTA for lupus nephritis
Additionally, BENLYSTA was studied in children and adolescents with SLE.
Study |
Characteristics |
PLUTO |
Evaluated the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of BENLYSTA intravenous infusion (IV) + other lupus medicines compared to other lupus medicines alone in children and adolescents (5-17 years) with active SLE. |
Are you ready to learn more about BENLYSTA?
Narrator: The human immune system is made up of organs and lymphatic vessels and nodes. It also consists of cells and a wide range of chemical messengers and other proteins that are produced by these cells of the immune system. This is the system that helps protect us from infections caused by bacteria, viruses, and other germs. B cells, a type of white blood cell, are an important component of the immune system. These cells recognize and fight germs by producing a special type of protein called an antibody. Antibodies recognize and latch onto germs. This attachment is a key step in how the immune system protects from infection and fights infection. Working together, the many parts of the immune system play a vital role in maintaining health.
When the immune system is not working properly, however, it can cause illness rather than help maintain health. Systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE, is one of many diseases caused by abnormal immune system activity. In many people with lupus, certain B cells remain in the body longer than they should. These cells, called autoreactive B cells, play a role in causing lupus. Like other B cells, autoreactive B cells can produce antibodies. But the antibodies released by autoreactive B cells do not fight germs. Instead, these antibodies, which are called autoantibodies, attach to normal tissues inside the body. When this happens, the autoantibodies end up attacking your own body and tissues can become inflamed.
All of the cells of the immune system are influenced by chemical messengers. For example, one of the chemical messengers that binds to and helps the growth of B cells – including autoreactive B cells – is called BLyS. BLyS is short for B-lymphocyte stimulator. BENLYSTA works by binding to BLyS. When BENLYSTA is attached to BLyS, BLyS can no longer bind to and stimulate the autoreactive B cells. Adding BENLYSTA to your other lupus treatments may help reduce the abnormal immune system activity that contributes to disease activity in lupus.
Morgan: I was excited to try BENLYSTA, but I wasn’t sure I would be covered by my parents’ insurance plan, and if I could manage the costs. My doctor told me about BENLYSTA Gateway, helped me complete the enrollment form, and suggested that I give them a call. The person who answered the phone told me about the BENLYSTA Co-pay Assistance Program.
Susan: As soon as my physician told me to consider BENLYSTA, he sent me over to the infusion center to talk with some of the nurses there. My nurse also mentioned that I could call BENLYSTA Gateway any time I needed. When I did, I definitely found the people there to be very helpful and compassionate. They helped me with everything I needed to know.
I honestly don’t think I could be where I am today without my parents and friends. When you have a chronic illness like lupus – one that’s so unpredictable – having a good support system is really important. I mean, there may be days when you just don’t feel well enough to do much of anything. So having that one or more people that you feel comfortable with – people that you can really depend on – is very helpful.
Michelle: I think it’s really important to have an open line of communication with your rheumatologist. It really wasn’t until I was able to open up to my doctor and talk to her about everything that was going on with me with my symptoms – what was working and what wasn’t working. And only at that point were we able to find a treatment strategy that was able to help me.
Morgan: My advice for other lupus patients is to be your own advocate. You need to make your own personal decisions. Remember, it’s a disease, not who you are. So live your life. Find something you’re passionate about – like a hobby – something worth getting out of bed for every day. For me, it’s my wonderful dogs.
Susan: Get educated – learn everything you can about lupus – and about BENLYSTA. Talk to people, read articles, ask questions, go online. I find BENLYSTA.com a really great resource.
Michelle: Stay positive. Continue to be your own best advocate, and find what works for you, as an individual person with lupus. Don’t let lupus define you. You are still you. And never be afraid of asking for help when you need it.
Ready for more?
As you and your doctor consider BENLYSTA, it’s natural to have questions. To learn more about how BENLYSTA works, understand the financial help we offer, hear from others like you, and more, request our free BENLYSTA Information Kit.
Erica
Frequently Asked Questions
Looking for a physician?
If you are looking to find a lupus physician to help you or a loved one take the next step with BENLYSTA, we are here to help.
Looking for coverage assistance?
When you start BENLYSTA treatment, you also have access to help understanding your health insurance coverage with BENLYSTA Gateway & Co-pay Program. LEARN ABOUT YOUR COVERAGE OPTIONS
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