In today’s episode Professor Eric Morand discusses the results of Cohort A and Cohort B of the WILLOW trial which investigated the efficacy and safety of enpatoran, a novel, oral small molecule inhibitor of Toll-like receptors 7 and 8 (TLR 7/8) in patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The interferon pathway has been implicated in both CLE and SLE pathogenesis, however, the mechanism through which interferon expression is induced in lupus remains unknown. Targeting TLR 7/8 is of particular interest, as they are key drivers of interferon activation. Enpatoran has previously shown efficacy in early phase 1 trials of patients with CLE and SLE, with improvements in SLEDAI-2K and reduction in IFN-gene signatures with good safety profiles. We also highlight the differences in study design and endpoints of each cohort, compare and contrast enpatoran to currently approved therapies for SLE, anifrolumab and deucravacitinib, and finally, outline what the next research priority should be for patients with CLE and SLE.

Click here to read the full articles: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanrhe/article/PIIS2665-9913(25)00337-6/fulltext and https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00463-0/fulltext