Discoid Lupus Erthematosus of the Scalp Clinical Trial
Official title:
Discoid Lupus Erythematosus of the Scalp and a Trial of Biologic Therapy With Raptiva
The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of Raptiva (efalizumab) in the
treatment of discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE). Discoid lupus erythematosus is a chronic
disorder, which may lead to permanent and progressive loss of hair. Lupus is a condition of
chronic inflammation cause by an autoimmune disease. Autoimmune diseases are illnesses which
occur when the body's tissues are attacked by its own immune system. The immune system is a
complex system within the body that is designed to fight infectious agents, for example,
bacteria, and other foreign invaders.
One of the mechanisms that the immune system uses to fight infections is the production of
antibodies. Patients with lupus produce abnormal antibodies in their blood that target
tissues within their own body rather than foreign infectious agents. Lupus can cause disease
of the skin, heart, lungs, kidneys, joints, and nervous system. When only the skin is
involved, the condition is called discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE).
Raptiva (efalizumab) is a humanized immunoglobulin(a protein extract from blood which fights
off infection-sometimes called "antibody"), which targets the immune cells that are activated
in inflammation. Raptiva has been approved for use in the management of psoriasis at doses of
1mg/kg, but is not approved for the treatment of DLE.
This is an open label study in which the subject will be given the medication Raptiva (efalizumab) and they will be taught to self-inject by the dermatology nurse or research doctor. The subject will be administering 0.7mg/kg at week one and 1mg/kg once a week thereafter until week 24. If the subject feels uncomfortable self-administering these injections, the subject may identify a caregiver to administer these injections for them. He or she will be taught to administer these injections by the dermatology nurse or research doctor. ;