New Therapies in SLE

The therapy of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a systemic autoimmune disease of unknown aetiology, is significantly complicated by the diversity of disease manifestations and by a variety of complex immune abnormalities. Recent preclinical studies have shown the therapeutic efficacy of several drugs and/or new compounds, some of which have been tested in clinical trials. This review provides an update on the use of new approaches in SLE and recent patents that could develop into novel therapeutics available to the clinical armamentarium for the management of the disease.