Patients living with a debilitating immune system disorder that can cause skin rashes, joint pain and even death will receive an innovative new treatment.
The disease, lupus, affects around 50,000 Britons and can also cause kidney problems and serious scarring.
Award-winning singer Seal, 61, best known for his hit Kiss From A Rose, developed a form of the disease when he was 20 that left his face permanently scarred.
Until recently, there have been few effective treatments.
Some available medications are linked to a number of dangerous side effects, such as bone fractures and heart disease.
Award-winning singer Seal, 61, best known for his hit Kiss From A Rose, developed a form of lupus when he was 20 that left his face permanently scarred.
Experts believe a new drug could improve patients’ symptoms (file photo)
But last week, researchers revealed that a new lupus drug causes “substantial improvement” in most sufferers.
Experts believe the monthly injection, called dapirolizumab pegol, could soon be available on the NHS.
“This is a first-of-its-kind drug that appears to combat a variety of lupus symptoms,” says Dr Ed Vital from the Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine in Leeds. “If it turns out to be as effective as it looks in the early data, then it could make a really positive difference for many patients.”
About nine out of ten patients are women, for reasons that are not 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 unknown, but it may be related to viral infections, certain medications, and puberty.
Lupus is triggered when the immune system attacks healthy parts of the body (file photo)
Patients usually begin to experience symptoms around age 20, although the condition can begin in childhood.
Symptoms may change over time. Some patients begin to experience fatigue and rashes, but may develop kidney damage and joint pain.
In severe cases, lupus can lead to life-threatening complications. Research suggests that around one in seven patients will die from this condition within 15 years of diagnosis.
Until about a decade ago, there were no approved treatments for lupus in the UK. Steroids help combat symptoms, but often cause side effects such as weight gain and stroke.
But in recent years, a number of highly effective drugs have gained NHS approval. This includes belimumab injection, which was approved in 2021.