An Open Label Study to Investigate the Long-term Safety and Efficacy of Belimumab in Adults With Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) Associated With Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) and Other Connective Tissue Diseases (CTD)
This is an open label extension (OLE) study of an ongoing randomized controlled parent clinical studies 218224 (NCT05878717) and 221672 (NCT06572384) which aim to assess the efficacy and safety of belimumab on reducing the decline in lung function in participants with interstitial lung disease associated with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc-ILD) and interstitial lung disease associated with other connective tissue diseases (CTD-ILD), respectively. The OLE study will describe how well tolerated belimumab will be long term, and whether it might continue to slow progression of lung function decline, slow overall disease progression and improve quality of life.
• Participants with SSc-ILD or other CTD-ILDs that have completed either study 218224 or 221672 through to and including the Week 52 visit and are not considered treatment failure, defined as meeting either of the following criteria:
‣ Discontinuation of study medication during study 218224 or 221672 for any reason.
• Participants with SSc should have an area of uninvolved or mildly thickened skin that, in the opinion of the investigator, would allow subcutaneous (SC) injection at the abdomen or the front, middle region of the thigh.
• Participant is capable and willing to self-administer the study medication or has a caregiver/healthcare professional who is capable and willing to administer the study medication throughout the study.
• Female participants: A female participant is eligible to participate if she is not pregnant or breastfeeding, and one of the following conditions applies:
• Is a woman of non-childbearing potential (WONCBP) or is a woman of childbearing potential (WOCBP) and using a contraceptive method that is highly effective, with a failure rate of less than (\<)1 percentage (%), during the study treatment period and for at least 4 months after the last dose of study intervention. The investigator should evaluate potential for contraceptive method failure (e.g., non-compliance, recently initiated) in relationship to the first dose of study intervention.
⁃ A WOCBP must have a negative highly sensitive pregnancy test (urine or serum, as required by local regulations) within 24 hours before the first dose of study intervention.
⁃ If a urine test cannot be confirmed as negative (e.g., an ambiguous result), a serum pregnancy test is required. In such cases, the participant must be excluded from participation if the serum pregnancy result is positive.
⁃ Additional requirements for pregnancy testing during and after study intervention are located.
⁃ The investigator is responsible for review of medical history, menstrual history, and recent sexual activity to decrease the risk for inclusion of a woman with an early undetected pregnancy.
∙ Capable of giving signed informed consent which includes compliance with the requirements and restrictions listed in the informed consent form (ICF) and in the protocol.