litifilimab

GtoPdb is requesting financial support from commercial users. Please see our sustainability page for more information.

Home
Ligands
litifilimab

GtoPdb Ligand ID: 11122

Synonyms: BIIB-059 | BIIB059

Compound class: Antibody

Comment: Litifilimab (BIIB059) is a fully humanized IgG1, CLEC4C (blood dendritic cell antigen 2, BDCA2) targeting monoclonal antibody. It is being evaluated for ability to reduce release of disease-driving interferons (principally IFN-α) in SLE/CLE. BIIB059 was developed by Biogen, based on prior evidence of target engagement and SLE-applicable immunomodulatory efficacy of a humanized mAb against BDCA2 named 24F4A [8].

References
1. Childs BA, Merola JF. (2026) What's New in Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus: Guidelines, Biologics, and Beyond. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol, 19 (1): 17-26. [PMID:41648089]
2. Cho SK, Vazquez T, Werth VP. (2023) Litifilimab (BIIB059), a promising investigational drug for cutaneous lupus erythematosus. Expert Opin Investig Drugs, 32 (5): 345-353. [PMID:37148249]
3. Cho YM, Furie R. (2024) The development of litifilimab (BIIB 059) for cutaneous and systemic lupus erythematosus. Immunotherapy, 16 (1): 15-20. [PMID:37877249]
4. Furie R, Werth VP, Merola JF, Stevenson L, Reynolds TL, Naik H, Wang W, Christmann R, Gardet A, Pellerin A et al.. (2019) Monoclonal antibody targeting BDCA2 ameliorates skin lesions in systemic lupus erythematosus. J Clin Invest, 129 (3): 1359-1371. [PMID:30645203]
5. Furie R, Werth VP, Milliman E, Ferber K, Brown R, Zoghbi J, Franchimont N, Lahoud Y, Barbey C. (2025) Pharmacodynamic Effects of Litifilimab in Lupus in a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Phase 2 Study: Rapid and Sustained Reductions in Type I Interferon-Associated Gene Expression and Cytokines. Arthritis Rheumatol, 77 (12): 1726-1738. [PMID:40488251]
6. Furie RA, van Vollenhoven RF, Kalunian K, Navarra S, Romero-Diaz J, Werth VP, Huang X, Clark G, Carroll H, Meyers A et al.. (2022) Trial of Anti-BDCA2 Antibody Litifilimab for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. N Engl J Med, 387 (10): 894-904. [PMID:36069871]
7. Kato H, Kahlenberg JM. (2024) Emerging biologic therapies for systemic lupus erythematosus. Curr Opin Rheumatol, 36 (3): 169-175. [PMID:38299618]
8. Pellerin A, Otero K, Czerkowicz JM, Kerns HM, Shapiro RI, Ranger AM, Otipoby KL, Taylor FR, Cameron TO, Viney JL et al.. (2015) Anti-BDCA2 monoclonal antibody inhibits plasmacytoid dendritic cell activation through Fc-dependent and Fc-independent mechanisms. EMBO Mol Med, 7 (4): 464-76. [PMID:25762615]
9. Wei E, Lopes Almeida Gomes L, Jun S, Saksena S, Werth VP. (2026) Therapeutic Approaches for Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus: a Changing Landscape of Clinical Trials. J Inflamm Res, 19: 547944. [PMID:41890817]
10. Werth VP, Furie RA, Romero-Diaz J, Navarra S, Kalunian K, van Vollenhoven RF, Nyberg F, Kaffenberger BH, Sheikh SZ, Radunovic G et al.. (2022) Trial of Anti-BDCA2 Antibody Litifilimab for Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus. N Engl J Med, 387 (4): 321-331. [PMID:35939578]
11. Werth VP, Merola JF, Furie R, Kalunian K, van Vollenhoven RF, Romero-Diaz J, Li Q, Yang W, Barbey C. (2026) Litifilimab efficacy on skin outcomes in cutaneous lupus erythematosus in the Phase 2 LILAC study. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol, [Epub ahead of print]. [PMID:41574948]

References

1. Childs BA, Merola JF. (2026)
What's New in Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus: Guidelines, Biologics, and Beyond.
J Clin Aesthet Dermatol, 19 (1): 17-26. [PMID:41648089]

2. Cho SK, Vazquez T, Werth VP. (2023)
Litifilimab (BIIB059), a promising investigational drug for cutaneous lupus erythematosus.
Expert Opin Investig Drugs, 32 (5): 345-353. [PMID:37148249]

3. Cho YM, Furie R. (2024)
The development of litifilimab (BIIB 059) for cutaneous and systemic lupus erythematosus.
Immunotherapy, 16 (1): 15-20. [PMID:37877249]

4. Furie R, Werth VP, Merola JF, Stevenson L, Reynolds TL, Naik H, Wang W, Christmann R, Gardet A, Pellerin A et al.. (2019)
Monoclonal antibody targeting BDCA2 ameliorates skin lesions in systemic lupus erythematosus.
J Clin Invest, 129 (3): 1359-1371. [PMID:30645203]

5. Furie R, Werth VP, Milliman E, Ferber K, Brown R, Zoghbi J, Franchimont N, Lahoud Y, Barbey C. (2025)
Pharmacodynamic Effects of Litifilimab in Lupus in a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Phase 2 Study: Rapid and Sustained Reductions in Type I Interferon-Associated Gene Expression and Cytokines.
Arthritis Rheumatol, 77 (12): 1726-1738. [PMID:40488251]

6. Furie RA, van Vollenhoven RF, Kalunian K, Navarra S, Romero-Diaz J, Werth VP, Huang X, Clark G, Carroll H, Meyers A et al.. (2022)
Trial of Anti-BDCA2 Antibody Litifilimab for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
N Engl J Med, 387 (10): 894-904. [PMID:36069871]

7. Kato H, Kahlenberg JM. (2024)
Emerging biologic therapies for systemic lupus erythematosus.
Curr Opin Rheumatol, 36 (3): 169-175. [PMID:38299618]

8. Pellerin A, Otero K, Czerkowicz JM, Kerns HM, Shapiro RI, Ranger AM, Otipoby KL, Taylor FR, Cameron TO, Viney JL et al.. (2015)
Anti-BDCA2 monoclonal antibody inhibits plasmacytoid dendritic cell activation through Fc-dependent and Fc-independent mechanisms.
EMBO Mol Med, 7 (4): 464-76. [PMID:25762615]

9. Wei E, Lopes Almeida Gomes L, Jun S, Saksena S, Werth VP. (2026)
Therapeutic Approaches for Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus: a Changing Landscape of Clinical Trials.
J Inflamm Res, 19: 547944. [PMID:41890817]

10. Werth VP, Furie RA, Romero-Diaz J, Navarra S, Kalunian K, van Vollenhoven RF, Nyberg F, Kaffenberger BH, Sheikh SZ, Radunovic G et al.. (2022)
Trial of Anti-BDCA2 Antibody Litifilimab for Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus.
N Engl J Med, 387 (4): 321-331. [PMID:35939578]

11. Werth VP, Merola JF, Furie R, Kalunian K, van Vollenhoven RF, Romero-Diaz J, Li Q, Yang W, Barbey C. (2026)
Litifilimab efficacy on skin outcomes in cutaneous lupus erythematosus in the Phase 2 LILAC study.
J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol, [Epub ahead of print]. [PMID:41574948]