2. Able to understand the details of the trial and willing to give written informed consent and comply with the requirements of the study protocol.
3. Patients who fulfill the classification criteria (SLICC 2012 or ACR 1997) for SLE and have active disease (SELENA-SLEDAI ≥ 6).
4. Patients whose sera are positive for ANA (titre ≥ 1:80) or anti-dsDNA (\>100U/L based on NUH standard laboratory cut-off).
5. Patients who are on stable dose of prednisolone (0-40mg/day) and/or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, antimalarial or immunosuppressive drugs for at least 30 days before first study dose.
6. Females of child-bearing potential and non-sterilized males with female partners of child-bearing potential may participate this trial only if they use a reliable means of contraception.
7. Females of child-bearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test within three weeks prior to baseline.
You may not be if
1. They have severe active nephritis and/or active CNS lupus and/or other autoimmune diseases e.g. RA, mixed connective tissue disease, scleroderma, dermatomyositis and polymyositis.
2. They are pregnant.
3. They have had previous treatment with any B-cell and T-cell targeted biologic therapy, intravenous (IV) cyclophosphamide within 6 months of enrolment, intravenous immunoglobulins or prednisolone (\>100mg/day) within 3 months.
