Vunakizumab for the Treatment of Mild to Moderate Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by heterogeneous clinical manifestations ranging from mild cutaneous involvement to severe multi-organ damage. While its pathogenesis involves complex cytokine dysregulation, emerging evidence implicates IL-17 as a potential contributor. Elevated serum IL-17 levels have been observed in SLE patients compared to healthy controls, with heightened expression detected in renal and cutaneous lesions. Ustekinumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting IL-23/IL-12 that indirectly modulates IL-17 signaling, demonstrated superior efficacy and safety to placebo in an SLE clinical trial, particularly in glucocorticoid dose reduction. Notably, no clinical trials have directly evaluated IL-17-targeted therapies for SLE, though case reports suggest secukinumab (an anti-IL-17A agent) may improve cutaneous manifestations in psoriasis-SLE overlap patients. Vunakizumab, a humanized anti-IL-17A monoclonal antibody (IgG1/κ) with a unique epitope-binding profile, selectively inhibits IL-17A-mediated inflammatory signaling. Its established safety profile and infrequent dosing regimen in IL-17-mediated diseases (e.g., psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis) warrant investigation in SLE. The investigators aim to provide new treatment options for SLE patients