February 13, 2022

The LRA is pleased to share a recently published paper reporting that the drug, obinutuzumab, showed positive results as a potential treatment for lupus nephritis in the phase 2 clinical trial NOBILITY.  A medicine designed to attach a type of blood cell called B-cells with the marker CD20 on its surface, obinutuzumab Gazyva®,  is in development for lupus and is currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for specific types of cancer.

In this study, significantly more (35%) of patients who received standard of care with mycophenolate and corticosteroids plus obinutuzumab showed a complete renal response rate at 52 weeks compared to 23% of those on standard of care and placebo. Complete renal response is an accepted tool evaluating different indicators of the kidney’s response to treatment including kidney function. At week 104, complete renal response was achieved by 41% in the obinutuzumab group compared with 23% in the placebo group. Obinutuzumab also rapidly lowered the level of a specific type of B cells implicated in lupus nephritis. .

Investigators also noted that the rate of serious side effects did not increase compared with standard-of-care therapies and placebo.

Led by noted Northwell Health Chief of Rheumatology Dr. Richard Furie, the trial was conducted at 43 clinical trial sites in North America, South America, Europe and Israel.  Dr. Furie is the co-chair of the Protocol Review & Design Committee of the Lupus Clinical Investigators Network (LuCIN) which was formed and overseen by LRA’s affiliate Lupus Therapeutics.

The study was sponsored by F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.