In the News – New Drug to Reduce Hair Loss from Lupus

Snippet from the article:

The first in a new class of experimental drugs that targets the disease process involved in lupus beat out standard treatment in a large clinical trial, researchers say.

If the findings hold up, the drug, Benlysta, could become the first new drug for lupus in five decades.

About 1.5 million Americans have lupus, a complex disease in which the immune system attacks a person’s own tissues, wreaking havoc on the joints, skin and other organs. Benlysta dampens the abnormal immune signals, calming down the immune system.

Read the rest at WebMD.

This is significant, as lupus affects millions around the world. Hair loss is common with those that have this autoimmune illness, and according to the article this drug is “more effective at reducing pain, hair loss, and skin rash than placebo.” More studies need to be done, and if successful, the pharmaceutical company plans to submit to the FDA for approval.