Lupus,a complex autoimmune disorder that pits the body's own defenses against itself,faced its first new adversary in more than 50 years Wednesday when the Food and Drug Administration approved Benlysta.The drug,a product of Rockville,Maryland biotech firm Human Genome Sciences and British business partner GlaxoSmithKline,carries a caution on the label that the medication has not been proven effective for treating African Americans to the FDA's satisfaction.
Nonetheless,it is believed the drug could garner billions of dollars for the two pharmaceutical companies,launching Human Genome into the major leagues of the industry.There is no competition for Benlysta at this point,being the first of a new class of drugs,the BLYS-specific inhibitors.
In its trials,Benlysta was found to help about 35% of those who suffer from the chronic inflammatory disease,which can be life-threatening.The FDA approval is seen as a win for Maryland's I-270 corridor as a whole,where the D.C. Metro Area's biotech industry is concentrated.It may well encourage more capital flow to the corridor as entrepreneurs and investors respond to the elevation in stature.
Human Genome's stock gained 13.05% on Thursday in the face of a broader market selloff.
Human Genome Sciences(HGSI),GlaxoSmithKline(GSK)
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