A monoclonal antibody drug, ianalumab, developed by Novartis to treat B-cell driven diseases has succeeded in significantly reducing symptoms of Sjögren’s disease in two Phase III trials .

The big pharma also tested the same drug for treatment of primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in another Phase III trial in combination with a thrombocytopenia drug eltrombopag and the results of that trial were also positive .

Ianalumab was originally developed by German biotech MorphoSys, which was acquired by Novartis last year for $2.9 billion. The monoclonal antibody is also being tested for treatment of lupus, warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia, and diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis.

Sjögren’s syndrome, is a chronic autoimmune disorder primarily characterized by the body’s immune system

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