A Phase 2/3 interventional study of Litifilimab and Placebo in Subacute Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus and Chronic Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus, sponsored by Biogen. Active, not recruiting at 315 sites in 30 countries. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-01.
Sponsored by Biogen · Phase 2/3, Interventional, and Treatment
In this study, researchers will learn more about a study drug called litifilimab (BIIB059) in participants with cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE). The study will focus on participants who have either active subacute CLE or chronic CLE, or both. They may also have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The participants did not respond to antimalarial therapy or had problems with the treatment that made it hard to continue.
The main objective of the study is to learn about the effect litifilimab has on lowering the activity of the skin disease. Researchers will measure symptoms and signs of CLE over time using a variety of scoring tools. These include the Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus Disease Area and Severity Index (CLASI), the Cutaneous Lupus Activity of Investigator's Global Assessment-Revised (CLA-IGA-R), and the SELENA-SLEDAI Flare Index (SFI).
The main questions researchers want to answer are:
Researchers will also learn more about the safety of litifilimab. They will study how participants' immune systems respond to litifilimab. Additionally, they will measure the effect litifilimab and CLE have on the quality of life of participants using a group of questionnaires.
The study will be split into 2 parts - Part A and Part B. Both parts will be done as follows:
Litifilimab is a humanized immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) monoclonal antibody targeting blood dendritic cell antigen 2. It is an inhibitory receptor expressed on the surface of human plasmacytoid dendritic cell (pDCs) and is being investigated for the potential treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus and cutaneous lupus erythematosus. The primary objectives of the study are to evaluate the efficacy of litifilimab compared with placebo in reducing skin disease activity measured by the CLA-IGA-R score [Parts A] and the Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus Disease Area and Severity Index Activity (CLASI-A) score [Part B] in participants with active SCLE and/or CCLE with or without systemic manifestations and refractory and/or intolerant to antimalarials. The secondary objectives of the study are to evaluate the efficacy of litifilimab in reducing SCLE and/or CCLE disease activity by CLA-IGA-R, CLASI-A; to evaluate additional efficacy parameters of litifilimab in reducing SCLE and/or CCLE disease activity; safety; tolerability; and immunogenicity of litifilimab [Parts A and B].
66 studies on the registry are indexed under Lupus Erythematosus, Cutaneous; 17 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 450 is above the median of 31 across 56 interventional studies indexed under Lupus Erythematosus, Cutaneous.
Browse Lupus Erythematosus, Cutaneous studies →Biogen is the lead sponsor of 494 studies on the registry; 22 are open to participants now.
Of its 98 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 49 (50%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Key Inclusion Criteria:
Key Exclusion Criteria:
NOTE: Other protocol-defined Inclusion/Exclusion criteria may apply
Participants will receive litifilimab subcutaneously (SC) once every 4 weeks (Q4W) from Week 0 to Week 20, with an additional dose of litifilimab at Week 2 during the double-blind placebo-controlled (DBPC) treatment period. Following the DBPC treatment period, participants will receive litifilimab during the extended treatment period (ETP) from Week 24 to Week 48, with an additional dose of litifilimab-matching placebo at Week 26.
Drug: Litifilimab
Participants will receive litifilimab-matching placebo SC Q4W from Week 0 to Week 20, with an additional dose of litifilimab-matching placebo at Week 2 during the DBPC treatment period. Following the DBPC treatment period, participants will receive litifilimab during the ETP from Week 24 to Week 48, with an additional dose of litifilimab at Week 26.
Drug: Placebo
Participants will receive litifilimab SC Q4W from Week 0 to Week 20, with an additional dose of litifilimab at Week 2 during the DBPC treatment period. Following the DBPC treatment period, participants will receive litifilimab during the ETP from Week 24 to Week 48, with an additional dose of litifilimab-matching placebo at Week 26.
Drug: Litifilimab
Participants will receive litifilimab-matching placebo SC Q4W from Week 0 to Week 20, with an additional dose of litifilimab-matching placebo at Week 2 during the DBPC treatment period. Following the DBPC treatment period, participants will receive litifilimab during the ETP from Week 24 to Week 48, with an additional dose of litifilimab at Week 26.
Drug: Placebo
Administered as specified in the treatment arm.
Also known as: BIIB059
Administered as specified in the treatment arm.
Parts A: Percentage of Participants who Achieve a Cutaneous Lupus Activity of Physician's Global Assessment-Revised (CLA-IGA-R) Erythema Score of 0 or 1
Time frame: Week 16
Part B: Percentage of Participants who Achieve Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus Disease Area and Severity Index Activity Score (CLASI-70) Response, Defined as ≥ 70% Decrease in CLASI-A Score From Baseline
Time frame: Baseline to Week 24
Part A: Percentage of Participants With a CLASI-70 Response at Week 52 Among CLASI-70 Responders at Week 16 and Week 24, Respectively, who Were Randomly Assigned to Receive Litifilimab During the DBPC Treatment Period (TP)
Time frame: Week 52
Part A: Percentage of Participants With CLA-IGA-R Erythema Score of 0 or 1 at Week 52 Among CLA-IGA-R Erythema Responders at Week 16 and Week 24, Respectively, who Were Randomly Assigned to Receive Litifilimab During the DBPC TP
Time frame: Week 52
Part A: Percentage of Participants With CLA-IGA-R OMC Score of 0 or 1 and at Least 1 Level of Improvement From Baseline at Week 52 Among CLA-IGA-R OMC Responders at Weeks 16 &24, Respectively, who Were Assigned to Receive Litifilimab in DBPC TP
Time frame: Week 52
Part A: Percentage of Participants With CLA-IGA-R OMC Score of 0 at Week 52 Among CLA-IGA-R OMC Responders With CLA-IGA-R OMC Score of 0 at Week 16 and Week 24, Respectively, who Were Randomly Assigned to Litifilimab During DBPC TP
Time frame: Week 52
Part A: Percentage of Participants With CLA-IGA-R Follicular Activity Score of 0 at Week 52 Among CLA-IGA-R Follicular Activity Responders at Week 16 and Week 24, Respectively, who Were Randomly Assigned to Receive Litifilimab in DBPC TP
Time frame: Week 52
Part A: Percentage of Participants With a CLASI-70 Response at Week 52 Among CLASI-70 Nonresponders at Week 16 and Week 24, Respectively, who Were Randomly Assigned to Receive Placebo During the DBPC TP
Time frame: Week 52
Part A: Percentage of Participants With a CLA-IGA-R Erythema Score of 0 or 1 at Week 52 Among CLA-IGA-R Erythema Nonresponders at Week 16 and Week 24, Respectively, who Were Randomly Assigned to Receive Placebo During the DBPC TP
Time frame: Week 52
Part A: Percentage of Participants With CLA-IGA-R OMC Score of 0 or 1 and at Least 1 Level of Improvement From Baseline at Week 52 Among CLA-IGA-R OMC Nonresponders at Weeks 16 and 24, Respectively, who Were Assigned to Receive Placebo in DBPC TP
Time frame: Week 52
Part A: Percentage of Participants With a CLA-IGA-R OMC Score of 0 at Week 52 Among CLA-IGA-R OMC Nonresponders at Week 16 and Week 24, Respectively, who Were Randomly Assigned to Receive Placebo During the DBPC TP
Time frame: Week 52
Part A: Percentage of Participants who Have CLA-IGA-R Follicular Activity Score of 0 at Week 52 Among CLA-IGA-R Follicular Activity Nonresponders at Weeks 16 and 24, Respectively, who Were Randomly Assigned to Receive Placebo in DBPC TP
Time frame: Week 52
Part A: Annualized Mild and Moderate SFI Rate and Annualized Severe SFI Rate Through Week 16
Time frame: Up to Week 16
Part A: Absolute Change in Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus Disease Area and Severity Index Damage (CLASI-D) Score at Week 52
Time frame: Baseline to Week 52
Part A: Percent Change in CLASI-D Score
Time frame: Baseline to Week 52
Part B: Percentage of Participants who Achieve a CLASI A score of 0 to 3
Time frame: Week 24
Part B: Percentage of Participants who Achieve a CLA-IGA-R OMC Score of 0 or 1 and at Least 2-Point Improvement From Baseline at Week 24, for Participants who had CLA-IGA-R OMC Score ≥ 2 at Baseline
Time frame: Week 24
Part B: Percentage of Participants who Achieve a CLA-IGA-R Erythema Score of 0 or 1, at Week 16 and Week 24, Respectively, for Participants in Full Analysis Set (FAS), who had CLA-IGA-R Erythema Score ≥3 and Other OMC Score ≥3 at Baseline
Time frame: Weeks 16 and 24
Part B: Percentage of Participants who Achieve a CLA-IGA-R OMC Score of 0 or 1, at Week 16 and Week 24, Respectively, for Participants in FAS, who had CLA-IGA-R Erythema Score ≥3 and OMC Score ≥3 at Baseline
Time frame: Weeks 16 and 24
Part B: Percentage of Participants who Achieve CLA IGA R Erythema Score of 0 or 1
Time frame: Up to Week 24
Part B: Percentage of Participants who Achieve at Least 1 Level of Improvement From Baseline in the CLA-IGA-R Erythema Score
Time frame: Up to Week 24
Part B: Percentage of Participants who Achieve a CLASI-A Score of 0 to 5
Time frame: Up to Week 24
Part B: Percentage of Participants who Achieve a CLASI-50a Response, Defined as a ≥ 50% Decrease in Baseline CLASI-A Score in Addition to Achieving Mild Disease Severity With a CLASI-A Score <10 at Week 16 and Week 24, Respectively
Time frame: Weeks 16 and 24
Part B: Percentage of Participants With a CLASI 70 Response at Week 52 Among CLASI-70 Responders at Week 24, who Were Randomly Assigned to Receive Litifilimab During the DBPC TP
Time frame: Week 52
Part B: Percentage of Participants With a CLASI 50 Response at Week 52 Among CLASI-50 Responders at Week 24, who Were Randomly Assigned to Receive Litifilimab During the DBPC TP
Time frame: Week 52
Part B: Percentage of Participants With a CLASI A 0 to 3 Response at Week 52 Among CLASI-A 0 to 3 Responders at Week 24, who Were Randomly Assigned to Receive Litifilimab During the DBPC TP
Time frame: Week 52
Part B: Percentage of Participants With a CLA IGA R Erythema Score of 0 or 1 at Week 52 Among CLA-IGA-R Erythema Responders at Week 24, who Were Randomly Assigned to Receive Litifilimab During the DBPC TP
Time frame: Week 52
Part B: Percentage of Participants With a CLA IGA R OMC score of 0 at Week 52 Among CLA IGA R OMC Responders With a CLA-IGA-R OMC Score of 0 at Week 24, who Were Randomly Assigned to Receive Litifilimab During the DBPC TP
Time frame: Week 52
Part B: Percentage of Participants With a CLA IGA-R Follicular Activity Score of 0 at Week 52 Among CLA-IGA-R Follicular Activity Responders at Week 24, who Were Randomly Assigned to Receive Litifilimab During the DBPC TP
Time frame: Week 52
Part B: Percentage of Participants With a CLASI 70 Response at Week 52 Among CLASI-70 Nonresponders at Week 24, who Were Randomly Assigned to Receive Litifilimab During the DBPC TP
Time frame: Week 52
Part B: Percentage of Participants With a CLASI 50 Response at Week 52 Among CLASI-50 Nonresponders at Week 24, who Were Randomly Assigned to Receive Litifilimab During the DBPC TP
Time frame: Week 52
Part B: Percentage of Participants With a CLASI A 0 to 3 Response at Week 52 Among CLASI-A 0 to 3 Nonresponders at Week 24, who Were Randomly Assigned to Receive Litifilimab During the DBPC TP
Time frame: Week 52
Part B: Percentage of Participants With a CLA IGA R Erythema Score of 0 or 1 at Week 52 Among CLA-IGA-R Erythema Nonresponders at Week 24, who Were Randomly Assigned to Receive Litifilimab During the DBPC TP
Time frame: Week 52
Part B: Percentage of Participants With a CLA IGA R OMC score of 0 at Week 52 Among CLA IGA R OMC Nonresponders With a CLA-IGA-R OMC Score of 0 at Week 24, who Were Randomly Assigned to Receive Litifilimab During the DBPC TP
Time frame: Week 52
Part B: Percentage of Participants With a CLA IGA-R Follicular Activity Score of 0 at Week 52 Among CLA-IGA-R Follicular Activity Nonresponders at Week 24, who Were Randomly Assigned to Receive Litifilimab During the DBPC TP
Time frame: Week 52
Part B: Absolute Change in CLASI-D Score
Time frame: Week 52
Part B: Percent Change in CLASI-D Score
Time frame: Week 52
Part B: Change From Baseline in Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus-Quality of Life (CLE-QoL) Score
Time frame: Part B: Weeks 16, 24 and 52
Part B: Change From Baseline in Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) Score
Time frame: Part B: Weeks 16, 24 and 52
Part B: Change From Baseline in Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for Pain in Skin Rash
Time frame: Part B: Weeks 16, 24 and 52
Part B: Change From Baseline in NRS for Itch in Skin Rash
Time frame: Part B: Weeks 16, 24 and 52
Parts A and B: Percentage of Participants who Achieve a CLA-IGA-R Erythema Score of 0 or 1
Time frame: Part A: Week 24; Part B: Weeks 16 and 24
Parts A and B: Percentage of Participants who Achieve a CLA-IGA-R Other Morphologic Characteristics (OMC) Score of 0 or 1 and at Least 1 Level of Improvement From Baseline
Time frame: Part A: Weeks 16 and 24; Part B: Up to Week 24
Parts A and B: Percentage of Participants who Achieve a CLA-IGA-R OMC Score of 0
Time frame: Part A: Weeks 16 and 24; Part B: Up to Week 24
Parts A and B: Percentage of Participants With at Least 1 Level of Improvement From Baseline in CLA-IGA-R OMC Score
Time frame: Part A: Weeks 16 and 24; Part B: Up to Week 24
Parts A and B: Percentage of Participants who Have a CLA-IGA-R Follicular Activity Score of 0
Time frame: Part A: Weeks 16 and 24; Part B: Up to Week 24
Parts A and B: Percentage of Participants who Achieve a CLASI-70 Response, Defined as a ≥ 70% Decrease in CLASI-A Score From Baseline
Time frame: Parts A: Weeks 16 and 24; Part B: Week 12
Parts A and B: Percentage of Participants who Achieve a CLASI-50 Response, Defined as a ≥ 50% Decrease in CLASI-A Score From Baseline
Time frame: Part A: Weeks 16 and 24; Part B: Weeks 12 and 24
Parts A and B: Percentage of Participants who Achieve a CLASI-A Score of 0 or 1
Time frame: Up to Week 24
Parts A and B: Percentage of Participants who Achieve a CLASI-A Score of 0 to 3
Time frame: Up to Week 24
Parts A and B: Percentage of Participants who Achieve a CLASI 70 Response
Time frame: Up to Week 24
Parts A and B: Percentage of Participants who Achieve a CLASI 50 Response
Time frame: Up to Week 24
Parts A and B: Percentage of Participants who Achieve a 7-Point Reduction From Baseline in CLASI-A Score
Time frame: Up to Week 24
Parts A and B: Annualized Mild and Moderate Safety of Estrogens in Lupus Erythematosus National Assessment-SLE Disease Activity Index Flare Index Rate and Annualized Severe SFI Rate Through Week 24
Time frame: Up to Week 24
Parts A and B: Annualized Mild and Moderate SFI Rate and Annualized Severe SFI Rate Through Week 52
Time frame: Up to Week 52
Parts A and B: Number of Participants Experiencing Treatment Emergent Adverse Events (TEAEs) and Serious Adverse Events (SAEs)
Time frame: Up to Week 76
Parts A and B: Number of Participants With Anti-Litifilimab Antibodies in Serum During the Study
Time frame: Up to Week 76
Showing the first 100 of 315 sites across 30 countries.
Plan to share: Yes — In accordance with Biogen's Clinical Trial Transparency and Data Sharing Policy on https://www.biogentrialtransparency.com/
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Lupus Erythematosus, Cutaneous→
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