Belimumab Assessment of Safety in SLE

The purpose of this study is to further enhance the existing knowledge regarding the side effects of belimumab when given with other lupus medicines to adults with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This study mainly focuses on collecting information on serious events that are not that common or may only be seen with long-term treatment. These events include death, serious infections and other infections of interest, cancers, serious mental health problems, including depression and suicide, and serious infusion and hypersensitivity reactions. This study is being done to help understand if treatment with belimumab increases the risk for these types of events. This study will also see if patients receiving belimumab with other lupus medicines can reduce their use of steroids, such as prednisone, over 1 year.

Study participants receive standard therapy for SLE in addition to receiving the study drug, either placebo (no active medicine) or belimumab. The controlled period of the study is 52 weeks. The random assignment in this study is "1 to 1" which means that participants have an equal chance of receiving belimumab or placebo. After completion of the 52-week study period, participants will be contacted by phone annually for 4 more years to assess health status. Following the 52-week controlled period, participants who wish to continue treatment with belimumab may be able to do so by being prescribed commercially available belimumab. If belimumab is not commercially available in the participant's country, the participant may be able to receive belimumab under a separate continuation protocol.