Belimumab Treatment of Emphysema Patients With Anti-GRP78 Autoantibodies
Status:
Recruiting
Trial end date:
2023-07-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
This is intended to be an initial "proof-of-concept" study to show feasibility, validate
assays and approaches, and explore dosing and safety of belimumab in pulmonary emphysema
patients who have clinically relevant (and quantifiable) autoimmune responses. The primary
goal is to determine effects of belimumab on levels of autoantibodies against glucose
regulated protein 78 (GRP78) among patients with pulmonary emphysema attributable to
cigarette smoking. The investigators hypothesize that belimumab treatment will safely reduce
circulating levels of autoantibodies that are associated with emphysema, and comorbidities of
this lung disease, including atherosclerosis.