Product Information
Registration Status: ActiveBENLYSTA POWDER FOR SOLUTION FOR INFUSION 400MG is approved to be sold in Singapore with effective from 2012-08-21. It is marketed by GLAXOSMITHKLINE PTE LTD, with the registration number of SIN14212P.
This product contains Belimumab 400mg/vial in the form of INJECTION, POWDER, LYOPHILIZED, FOR SOLUTION. It is approved for INTRAVENOUS use.
This product is manufactured by Hospira in UNITED STATES, and Inc. in ITALY.
It is a Prescription Only Medicine that can only be obtained from a doctor or a dentist, or a pharmacist with a prescription from a Singapore-registered doctor or dentist.
Description
Belimumab is an intravenous immunosupressant for the adjunctive treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). More specifically, it is a fully human recombinant IgG1λ monoclonal antibody produced from a recombinant NS0 cell line stably transfected with the belimumab heavy chain and light chain genes. It is the first biological treatment approved for the indication of SLE. Concomitant use with live or inactivated vaccines must be avoided. Belimumab was FDA approved on March 9, 2011. Belimumab consists of 2 heavy chains, and 2 light chains of the lambda subclass. Each heavy chain contains 452 amino acid residues and each light chain contains 214 amino acid residues. There are 3 post-translational modifications: a conserved N-linked glycosylation on the CH2 domain at Asn 303 of the heavy chain, the conversion of the N-terminal glutamine residue of the heavy chain into pyroglutamate, and loss of C-terminal lysine residue of the heavy chain.
Indication
Adjunct treatment for auto-antibody-positive active systemic lupus erythematosus.
Mechanism of Action
Belimumab selectively binds to soluble human B lymphocyte stimulator protein (BLyS) so that BLyS is unable to bind to receptors on B lymphocytes. The binding of BLyS to its receptor is essential for the survival of B lymphocytes. Consequently, belimumab reduces B-cell mediated immunity and the autoimmune response.
Pharmacokinetics
- Absorption
- Cmax, 10 mg/kg, SLE patients = 313 µg/mL; AUC (0-∞), 10 mg/kg, SLE patients = 3083.
- Distribution
- Vdss, 10 mg/kg, SLE patients = 5.29 L.
- Metabolism
- Because belimumab is a protein, it is expected that it is degraded into peptides and amino acids by proteolytic enzymes.
- Elimination
Clearance
Systemic clearance, 10 mg/kg, SLE patients = 215 mL/day.
Toxicity
The most commonly-reported adverse reactions, occurring in ≥5% of patients in clinical trials were nausea, diarrhea, pyrexia, nasopharyngitis, bronchitis, insomnia, pain in extremity, depression, migraine, and pharyngitis. The most common serious adverse reactions were serious infections.
Active Ingredient/Synonyms
Belimumab | Belimumab |
Source of information: Drugbank (External Link). Last updated on: 3rd July 18. *Trade Name used in the content below may not be the same as the HSA-registered product.