Belimumab: Present and future

Belimumab, a B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) inhibitor, recently approved for patients with active, autoantibody-positive systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has paved the way for newer drugs that could arrest the complex autoimmune process and reverse the disease pathology. However, there is a need to further delineate long term effects of belimumab on disease activity and progression in patients with lupus nephritis, pregnancy and paediatric populations. Here, we review the on-going clinical trials and registry studies of belimumab in different populations that could define its role in the SLE armamentarium.