Benlysta (Belimumab) : To Treat Lupus

Yay!
Benlysta (Human Genome Sciences / GlaxoSmithKline), the new breakthrough drug for lupus.
Especially for Lupus. 
Approved by FDA to treat lupus!

So, why are all Lupie's' so excited?
Well, this may come shocking, but there are only 3 drugs approved to treat lupus by FDA, namely Asprin (1948), Corticosteriod & Plaquenil (1955) up until now, Benlysta (2011)

Hold your horses though (cats for some of us ...)

Here are two interesting facts on Benlysta :-

Although African American are known to be more predisposed with Lupus, yet, in clinical studies, they have shown not to respond to Benlysta. (How about Asians?). 

And, cost of Benlysta ...... drum roll pls .......
Estimated at USD 35,000 per annum , translated into RM 100,000 (a year!!!!!)
Cellcept that I'm taking, costs about RM 15K - 20K a year and I had to step on "many" feet to get it.
Imagine Benlysta, I need to take someone 'hostage'?

How does it work? 
Will it cure, induce remission or ... just control (like all the other drugs?). 
I don't know.

The price tag is beyond rich  reach to me at the moment, but, well, who knows? I might strike a lottery one of these days.

Benlysta will probably take another 5 years before it reaches our, ahem, mighty nation. (Hopefully, no drug recall by then)
Another 10 years for generic?

Sigh ... 

Oh well, at least, it is a start ...

Wonder Pills? Prednisolone.

Little mini pills. Yellow. 6 tablets (30 mg), once a day, morning after breakfast, as prescribed by Dr. Ng.

My very first encounter with prednisolone, commonly known as steroid.

Popped the pills at 8.30 am.

By 11.00 am.

Hey, I was pain-free!

My fingers were "sausages" no more!

Potent little stuff.

This day, was the start of a very long-term "relationship".

Fingers Licking Good

Year was 2004, January-2004, I was 26.
I woke up with my fingers swollen, looking like sausages.
My first reaction - I laughed.

I went to work as usual, hoping that the swell will subside, but it didn't.
Three days passed, fingers were still swollen and painful.
I couldn't even give the "finger" under the desk to my boss.