Patients with a debilitating immune system disorder that can lead to skin rashes, joint pain and even death will receive a groundbreaking new treatment.
The condition, lupus, affects around 50,000 Britons and can also cause kidney problems and severe scarring.
Award-winning singer Seal, 61, best known for the hit Kiss From A Rose, developed a form of the disease in his 20s that left his face permanently scarred.
Until recently, there were few effective treatments.
Some available medications have been linked to a number of dangerous side effects, including broken bones and heart disease.
Award-winning singer Seal, 61, best known for the hit Kiss From A Rose, developed a form of lupus in his 20s that left his face permanently scarred
Experts believe a new drug could improve patients’ symptoms (stock photo)
But last week, researchers revealed that a new lupus drug produces “substantial improvement” in the majority of patients.
Experts believe the once-a-month injection called dapirolizumab pegol could soon be available on the NHS.
‘This is the first drug of its kind that appears to combat a variety of lupus symptoms,’ says Dr Ed Vital of the Leeds Institute for Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine. ‘If it proves to be as effective as the early data shows, it could make a real positive difference for many patients.’
About nine in ten patients are women, for reasons that are not yet fully understood. It is also more common among people of African, Caribbean and Asian descent.
Lupus is triggered when the immune system attacks healthy parts of the body. The cause is not known but may be related to viral infections, certain medications and puberty.
Lupus is triggered when the immune system attacks healthy parts of the body (stock photo)
Patients usually begin experiencing symptoms in their early twenties, although the condition can begin as early as childhood.
Symptoms can change over time. Some patients experience fatigue and rashes, but may develop kidney damage and joint pain.
In severe cases, lupus can lead to life-threatening complications. Research shows that approximately one in seven patients will die from the condition within fifteen years of diagnosis.
Until about a decade ago, there were no approved lupus treatments in Britain. Steroids help control symptoms, but often cause side effects such as weight gain and stroke.
But in recent years a number of highly effective drugs have received approval from the NHS. This also includes the belimumab injection, which was approved in 2021.