Rituxan fails in lupus test

NEW YORK - Genentech Inc. and Biogen Idec Inc. said their drug Rituxan failed to significantly reduce kidney inflammation caused by lupus, the main goal of their late-stage trial.

Rituxan is approved for use in rheumatoid arthritis and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and the companies hoped to get it approved as a treatment for lupus nephritis. The companies said they will still look for new ways to treat lupus. Lupus, an autoimmune disorder, is often accompanied by kidney inflammation.

In the trial, 144 patients were given either Rituxan or a placebo. All patients received standard treatment with an immunosuppressant, mycophenolate mofetil, and corticosteroids. Treatments were given at the beginning of the trial and repeated six months later. Rituxan did not prove significantly more effective at improving kidney function or reducing urinary sediment or high levels of protein in urine, which can indicate kidney damage. The companies said side effects were similar in the Rituxan patients and the placebo patients.