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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
A new study finds anifrolumab may be the safer pick for lupus patients worried about their heart. Compared to belimumab, anifrolumab was linked to significantly lower risks of major cardiovascular events, heart failure, heart attack, and ischemic stroke in SLE patients. Researchers say the findings could make anifrolumab a preferred option for those with elevated cardiovascular risk.
A large real-world study suggests that anifrolumab — a type 1 interferon receptor antagonist — may offer meaningful cardiovascular protection compared to belimumab in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Using electronic health records from 67 U.S. healthcare organizations (2020–2025), researchers matched 1,084 pairs of SLE patients who initiated either drug within a year of diagnosis and tracked them for up to three years.
The results were notable: anifrolumab-treated patients experienced considerably fewer cardiovascular events across the board, with no significant differences in all-cause mortality or negative control outcomes between the two groups — lending credibility to the observed cardiovascular benefit.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: SLE patients already carry a heightened cardiovascular risk, and choosing the right biologic could do double duty — managing disease activity while protecting the heart. These findings position anifrolumab as a potentially preferred option, especially for SLE patients with elevated CVD risk factors.
