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Review

Subcutaneous formulation of belimumab in treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus: a critical review with focus on safety and satisfaction

, , , &
Pages 2475-2479 | Published online: 21 Nov 2018
 

Abstract

Belimumab is a novel add-on therapy that has been approved for patients with active and antibody-mediated systemic lupus erythematosus. It is a monoclonal antibody that decreases the activation of B-cells and consequently decreases antibodies’ production. Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration approved subcutaneous belimumab for patients who have received training on using it. Subcutaneous belimumab can be administered using either a prefilled syringe or an auto-injector device. Weekly subcutaneous belimumab seems to be as effective as monthly intravenous belimumab with a similar safety margin. In this article, we reviewed the literature on subcutaneous belimumab focusing on safety and patients’ experiences and satisfaction. Overall, subcutaneous belimumab appears to be preferred over intravenous belimumab for a number of reasons. However, more studies are still required to prove these findings.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Bonita Archer, MLS, Cathey Carey, and Werner Medical Library staff for their help in reviewing the literature and gathering the articles used in this review.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.