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Jan 6, 2026 8:00 AM

AstraZeneca's Self-Injectable Lupus Drug Shines In Late-Stage Trial

On Tuesday, AstraZeneca Plc (NASDAQ:AZN) released complete results from the Phase 3 TULIP-SC trial of a subcutaneous (SC) administration of anifrolumab versus placebo in participants aged 18 to 70 years with moderately to severely active, autoantibody-positive systemic lupus erythematosus.

Topline data was shared in September 2025.

Subcutaneous (SC) administration of Saphnelo (anifrolumab) showed a statistically significant and clinically meaningful reduction in disease activity compared to placebo.

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In the TULIP-SC full analysis, 56.2% of patients who received Saphnelo achieved a reduction in disease activity at Week 52 versus 37.1% receiving placebo, which was consistent with results from previous trials.

Sharon Barr, executive vice president of BioPharmaceuticals R&D at AstraZeneca, said the latest data strengthen the case for Saphnelo’s differentiated mechanism, noting that ...