Monoclonal Antibody: Now saves lupus patients successfully

-PRIYANKA CHAKRABORTY, AMITY UNIVERSITY, KOLKATA

Lupus erythematosus, an autoimmune disease associated with inflammation affects the skin, kidney, heart, central nervous system, etc, and also produces antibodies that work against cellular nuclei of the body. Two patients suffering from lupus have been successfully treated by a monoclonal antibody, daratumumab. This monoclonal antibody targets specific plasma cells that were used to regulate abnormal immunological memory cells. As a result reduction in systematic inflammation in the lupus patients was seen. Lupus previously could not be controlled by any available treatments, therefore, in desperate need of a novel treatment, scientists discovered this monoclonal antibody. Using single-cell sequencing, it is known that daratumumab has an effect on active T lymphocytes plasma cells, which has a significant role in disease development. The scientists are now encouraged to apply this treatment with daratumumab in other autoimmune diseases. However, the next step ahead will be the observation of the plasma cells of a larger group of individuals and the scientists are gearing up for the same.

Citation:

Lennard Ostendorf, M.D.,Marie Burns, M.Sc., Pawel Durek, Ph.D., Gitta Anne Heinz, Ph.D.,Frederik Heinrich, Ph.D., Panagiotis Garantziotis, M.D., Philipp Enghard, M.D., Ulrich Richter, M.D., Robert,Biesen, M.D., Udo Schneider, M.D., Fabian Knebel, M.D., Gerd Burmester, M.D., et al. Targeting CD38 with Daratumumab in Refractory Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, N Engl J Med 2020; 383:1149-1155, DOI: http://10.1056/NEJMoa2023325

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