An FDA advisory panel last November voted 13-2 in favor of approval. But the panel noted that Benlysta is no wonder drug. Overall, it offered a modest benefit. Only 30% of patients who took the drug in clinical trials saw a benefit.
And because the drug weakens the body's immune defenses, it comes with serious side effects. These include infections, cancers, depression, and suicide.
What should lupus patients and their families know about Benlysta? WebMD consulted Eric L. Greidinger, MD, chief of rheumatism and immunology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, FDA briefing documents, and the FDA approval announcement.
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