[Comment] Revisiting safety and refining benefit of rituximab–belimumab combination for refractory SLE

B-cell depletion using rituximab is used to treat systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), particularly for patients whose disease is refractory to conventional immunosuppressants (eg, mycophenolate), and is included in guidelines for the management of SLE, including lupus nephritis.1 In one study, SLE was the most common diagnosis for off-label use of rituximab.2 Rituximab is now off patent, and acquisition costs are lower than other advanced therapies for SLE, facilitating its availability for patients.