A Phase 2a, Efficacy and Safety Study of Ustekinumab in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

A multicenter (more than one medical research center involved in study), randomized (study drug assigned by chance), double-blind (neither the Investigator nor the participant know about the study drug), placebo-controlled, proof-of-concept study of ustekinumab in participants with active systemic lupus erythematosus. Participants will be screened to achieve all inclusion criteria and none exclusion criteria and will then receive either ustekinumab or placebo along with concomitant background medicine. Participants will be primarily assessed for response using the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Response Index 2000 (SRI-4). Participants' safety will be assessed throughout the study.

Inclusion criteria

• Subjects must have documented medical history to meet SLICC classification criteria for SLE for a minimum of 3 months prior to first dose
• At least 1 well-documented (subject file, referring physician letter, or laboratory result), unequivocally positive, documented test for autoantibodies in medical history including either of the following: ANA, and/or anti-dsDNA antibodies, and/or anti-Smith antibodies
• At least 1 unequivocally positive autoantibody test including ANA and/or anti-dsDNA antibodies and/or anti-Smith antibodies detected during screening
• At least 1 BILAG A and/or 2 BILAG B domain scores observed during screening prior to first administration of study agent
• Demonstrate active disease based on SLEDAI-2K score greater than or equal to (>=) 6 observed during screening and assessed approximately 2 to 6 weeks prior to randomization. Must also have SLEDAI-2K score >= 4 for clinical features (ie, SLEDAI excluding laboratory results) at Week 0 prior to the first administration of study agent

Exclusion criteria

• Have other inflammatory diseases that might confound the evaluations of efficacy, including but not limited to rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), RA/lupus overlap, psoriasis or active Lyme disease
• Are pregnant, nursing, or planning a pregnancy or fathering a child while enrolled in the study or within 4 months after receiving the last administration of study agent
• Have received systemic or topical cream/ointment preparations of cyclosporine A or other systemic immunomodulatory agents other than those described in inclusion criteria within the past 3 months prior to first administration of study agent
• Have received a single B cell targeting agent within 3 months prior to first study agent administration; or received more than 1 previous B cell targeting therapy including belimumab or epratuzamab within 6 months prior to first administration of the study agent; or received B cell depleting therapy (eg, rituximab) within 12 months prior to first administration of the study agent or have evidence of continued B-cell depletion following such therapy
• Have ever received ustekinumab
• Participant has a history of malignancy within 5 years before screening (exceptions are squamous and basal cell carcinomas of the skin that has been treated with no evidence of recurrence for at least 3 months before the first study agent administration and carcinoma in situ of the cervix that has been surgically cured)