Etanercept for the Treatment of Lupus Nephritis

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic, multisystem, autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks its own normal tissues. This abnormal autoimmune response can result in damage to many parts of the body, including the skin, joints, lungs, heart, brain, intestines, and kidneys. Kidney problems occur in 60-75 % of lupus patients. The development of lupus-related kidney disease (called lupus nephritis) is associated with an overall worse prognosis. SLE is usually treated with drugs that try to block inflammation caused by the immune system. These treatments can create their own problems and they do not cure lupus. The drugs that are often used to treat lupus nephritis include prednisone (steroids), cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan), azathioprine (AZA or Imuran), and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF or Cellcept). The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of etanercept compared to placebo in combination with standard of care to treat individuals with active lupus nephritis.