Benlysta is being developed by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and HGS under a co-development and commercialisation agreement entered into in 2006.
Benlysta is an investigational human monoclonal antibody drug. Both the entities cliaimed that it is the first in a new class of drugs called BLyS-specific inhibitors that recognise and inhibit the biological activity of B-lymphocyte stimulator, or BLyS, which was discovered by HGS in 1997.
Benlysta is used for reducing disease activity in adult patients with autoantibody-positive systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who are receiving standard therapy.
GSK said that Belimumab is not approved or licensed anywhere in the world.