Johnson & Johnson announced that its investigational therapy, nipocalimab, met the primary endpoint in the Phase 2 JASMINE study for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Results presented at the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) 2026 Congress showed a statistically significant reduction in disease activity at 24 weeks.
In the trial, 53.5% of patients on a 15 mg/kg dose achieved a response. The placebo group reported a 46.7% response rate. This treatment effect remained sustained through 52 weeks.
Efficacy was more pronounced in autoantibody-positive patients, who represent approximately 80% of individuals with SLE. Nipocalimab is the first FcRn blocker to show efficacy in an SLE trial. The company is currently recruiting for a Phase 3 study.