How do people afford BENLYSTA?
The BENLYSTA Co-pay Program helps eligible commercially insured patients with their out-of-pocket costs for BENLYSTA up to $15,000 for 12 months. Work with your doctor to apply for the program through BENLYSTA Gateway or visit BENLYSTACopayProgram.com to apply. *Eligibility restrictions and program maximums apply.
What is the cost of BENLYSTA infusion?
There are two ways to take BENLYSTA: Self-injection at home: The list price for a single dose of BENLYSTA Injection for Subcutaneous Use for self-injection is $1,070.54. (BENLYSTA Injection for Subcutaneous Use is sold in a 4 pack at the price of $4,282.17).
Do BENLYSTA injections hurt?
If you are injecting in yourself do it very slowly with the prefill one but not the auto inject. The auto inject will release the med very fast and it's very painful. I been using it for 5 years now. Still have a lot of joint pain but the fatigue, the brain fog and the other symptoms are much better.
How much does belimumab cost?
Table 5CDR Cost Comparison Table of Treatments for Adults With SLEDrug/ comparatorStrengthPrice ($)Belimumab (Benlysta)200 mg/mL421.7900a120 mg/5 mL 400 mg/20 mL Single-use vials293.5700b 978.5600bAntimalarial drugsHydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil, generic)200 mg0.15768 more rows
Does BENLYSTA cause weight gain?
Changes in weight, such as weight gain or weight loss, weren't reported in people taking Benlysta during clinical trials. If you experience changes in your weight, talk with your doctor. In some cases, changes in weight may be related to side effects from taking Benlysta.
How much does BENLYSTA cost per month?
Benlysta prices without insurance will vary depending on where you buy it and the amount you buy. As a guide, Benlysta intravenous powder for injection 120 mg usually costs $580 for 1 powder for injection. With NiceRx you will pay a flat monthly fee of $49, regardless of the retail price of your medication.
Is BENLYSTA a form of chemo?
Is BENLYSTA a chemotherapy? No, BENLYSTA is not chemotherapy – it's a biologic therapy, delivered either through an IV infusion or as a self-injection. It works by reducing certain cells in your immune system that can make lupus active.
How will I feel after BENLYSTA infusion?
The most common side effects of BENLYSTA are nausea, diarrhea, fever, stuffy or runny nose and sore throat, persistent cough, trouble sleeping, leg or arm pain, depression, headache, and pain, redness, itching, or swelling at the site of injection (when given subcutaneously).
How fast does BENLYSTA work?
Benlysta starts working from your very first injection/infusion, but it may take up to 8 weeks before you notice an improvement in some symptoms, and from 4 to 8 months before the full effects at resolving fatigue, joint, and muscle pain are seen. Once an improvement is seen these effects usually persist long term.
How often do you get BENLYSTA infusions?
FDA-Approved Indications and Dosing Benlysta is administered as a 1-hour IV infusion only and given every 4 weeks after the loading phase.
Does hydroxychloroquine help lupus?
Most people with lupus take hydroxychloroquine throughout their lives. It helps control lupus symptoms with very few side effects. Hydroxychloroquine may also help prevent blood clots and organ damage from lupus.
Can BENLYSTA cause insomnia?
The most common side effects of BENLYSTA include: nausea, diarrhea, fever, stuffy or runny nose and sore throat, persistent cough, trouble sleeping, leg or arm pain, depression, headache, and pain, redness, itching, or swelling at the site of injection (when given subcutaneously).
How long does it take for BENLYSTA infusion to work?
Benlysta starts working from your very first injection/infusion, but it may take up to 8 weeks before you notice an improvement in some symptoms, and from 4 to 8 months before the full effects at resolving fatigue, joint, and muscle pain are seen. Once an improvement is seen these effects usually persist long term.
How much is lupus treatment?
A new treatment for lupus, given through IV infusion, Benlysta[1] costs about $35,000 per year, according to the National Institutes of Health. According to a fact sheet[2] from the Lupus Foundation of America, the yearly cost of treatment for lupus averages more than $12,600 per patient.
How much does BENLYSTA cost in Canada?
Benlysta® is priced at $277.20 for 120mg (5ml vial) and $924.00 for 400mg (20ml vial). The annual cost for an average 75kg patient is $26,334 for the first year, followed by $22,822 for each subsequent year.
How often do you take BENLYSTA?
For the first 3 infusions, BENLYSTA is given once every 2 weeks. After that, BENLYSTA is given once every 4 weeks.
What does an FDA approval of Benlysta mean for people with lupus?
Benlysta represents a breakthrough in the treatment of lupus. Benlysta is the first drug approved to treat lupus in more than 50 years AND is the first drug developed specifically for lupus since the disease was discovered more than a century ago! Successful treatment of lupus will require an arsenal of safe, effective, and tolerable treatments. The approval of Benlysta (approved March 2011) is a significant first step toward reaching that goal.
Is Benlysta approved for use in children with lupus?
Yes. On April 26, 2019 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the use of Benlysta in children as young as five years of age. Learn more. However, Benlysta has not yet been approved to treat lupus nephritis in children.
Are there other treatments being researched for lupus?
There are a number of pioneering biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies involved in the research and development of new therapies for lupus and lupus nephritis. Several promising treatments are now in various stages of development with some in the near-term pipeline. We can’t make new treatments a reality without your support. You can help by learning more about clinical trials and volunteering to participate in a clinical trial.
Why does it take so long to develop a treatment for lupus?
Lupus is a complex disease. It can affect multiple organ systems and symptoms can range in severity from one day to the next. Also, lupus affects each person differently, with varying responses to treatment. The complexity and multiple ways lupus can affect the body presents challenges in evaluating potential new therapies. With each research study, regardless of the outcome, there are new discoveries that help pave the way for new therapies.
What is the Lupus Foundation of America doing to further the development of new treatments for lupus?
The Lupus Foundation of America has ongoing initiatives to standardize and improve clinical trial design, allowing future studies to be completed successfully. Additionally we actively work to inform people with lupus about clinical trial opportunities and engage people with lupus in ongoing research. An example of our engagement initiatives is RAY, Research Accelerated by You, a lupus data platform where people with lupus and caregivers share information about their lupus experience to help researchers accelerate the development of new treatments and improve disease outcomes. The Foundation also convened an international group of lupus experts to help identify the barriers and solutions to the most difficult problems people with lupus face. These initiatives, along with the recent approval of treatments for lupus nephritis, will help provide a pathway toward approval of additional treatments specifically developed for lupus.
What is Benlysta?
Benlysta is a human monoclonal antibody that was approved for the treatment of lupus by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on March 9, 2011 and for lupus nephritis on December 17, 2020. A monoclonal antibody is a type of protein made in the laboratory that is developed to find and attach to only one type of substance in the body.
How does Benlysta work?
Benlysta is a human monoclonal antibody that specifically recognizes and blocks the biological activity of B-lymphocyte stimulator, or BLyS® (pronounced bliss), a naturally occurring protein which was discovered by scientists at Human Genome Sciences (HGS). Elevated levels of BLyS prolong the survival of B cells which can contribute to the production of autoantibodies – antibodies that target the body’s own tissues. Studies have shown that Benlysta can reduce autoantibody levels and help control autoimmune disease activity.
