In Part A of this study, patients with CLE were randomly assigned (like flipping a coin) to receive multiple IV doses of CNTO 136, a human anti-IL 6 monoclonal antibody (an immune protein that binds to interleukin 6) or placebo (a substance that appears identical to the treatment and has no active ingredients). Patients and study personnel did not know the identity of the administered treatments (double-blind study). Increasing doses were given, based on safety data collected during the initial weeks of treatment. In Part B, which was also double-blind, patients with SLE were randomly assigned to receive multiple IV doses of the highest well-tolerated dose, as determined in Part A, of CNTO 136, or placebo.
