US FDA puts Kezar Life Sciences’ lupus treatment trial on hold after patient deaths

(Reuters) -The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has placed a clinical hold on Kezar Life Sciences (NASDAQ:)’ trial of experimental drug for lupus, the company said on Friday.

The FDA’s decision comes after the company said it had paused the mid-stage trial of the drug, zetomipzomib, to review safety data following the deaths of four patients, who were part of the trial in the Philippines and Argentina.

Kezar was testing the drug in patients with active lupus nephritis, which causes inflammation and damage in the kidneys due to a form of immune-related condition called lupus.

An independent study committee had recommended a pause on the trial, after it found that three of the fatalities showed a common pattern of symptoms and the deaths happened close to the time of dosing, while a non-fatal adverse event also showed a similar proximity to the dosing time.

The company said that a separate mid-stage trial testing zetomipzomib in patients with autoimmune hepatitis remains active and no serious adverse events have been reported so far.