Lupkynis (voclosporin)
An approved treatment for Lupus Nephritis.
The same compound appears under different names depending on the context. Here is how to identify Voclosporin wherever you encounter it, plus the key facts at a glance.
- Generic name
- Voclosporin
- Brand name
- Lupkynis
- Drug class
- Calcineurin inhibitor
- Manufacturer
- Aurinia Pharmaceuticals
- How it's taken
- Three 7.
A twice-daily capsule, approved January 22, 2021, for adults with active lupus nephritis, taken together with other immune-calming medicines.
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Where Voclosporin fits
Added to mycophenolate and steroids for adults with active lupus nephritis.
How Voclosporin works
Voclosporin blocks calcineurin, an enzyme immune cells need to switch on. Calming that signal lowers the immune attack on the kidneys' filters. It is used on top of a background regimen of mycophenolate and steroids.
Mechanism: Calcineurin inhibitor, an immune-calming pill that blocks the enzyme calcineurin, which switches on T cells
Side effects and safety
Lupkynis has a boxed warning for cancers and serious infections, as other medicines that suppress the immune system do. In its trials the most common side effects, against placebo, were a drop in kidney filtering measured as GFR (26% against 9%), high blood pressure (19% against 9%), diarrhea (19% against 13%), headache (15% against 8%), anemia (12% against 6%), cough (11% against 2%) and urinary tract infection (10% against 6%). Kidney function and blood pressure are checked regularly, and the dose is lowered or paused if kidney function falls.
This is not a complete list of side effects. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about what to expect and when to seek medical attention.
Taking Voclosporin
Three 7.9 mg capsules (23.7 mg) by mouth twice a day, together with mycophenolate and steroids, with the dose adjusted based on kidney function (eGFR). The label does not recommend starting it when eGFR is 45 or lower unless the benefit outweighs the risk, and it is not recommended together with cyclophosphamide.
Availability and cost
Only available as the brand-name product.
Help paying for Lupkynis
Pick your insurance to see which help fits. Drugmaker copay cards can't be used with Medicare, Medicaid or TRICARE; charity funds are the usual route there.
- Copay help
Eligible patients may pay $0 for Lupkynis through the Aurinia Alliance copay program.
For: private insurance · source - Insurance and case manager help
A nurse case manager, help with insurance and home delivery through a specialty pharmacy.
For: private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, no insurance, underinsured · source
Good to know: Aurinia's page does not describe a free-drug program; ask the Aurinia Alliance about options if you are uninsured.
Clinical trial results
In the AURORA trial (NCT03021499) of 357 adults, 40.8% on Lupkynis plus background therapy reached a complete kidney response at 52 weeks, against 22.5% on background therapy alone.
Development history
Developed by Aurinia Pharmaceuticals and approved by the FDA on January 22, 2021.
Explore Lupus Nephritis trials
Other Lupus Nephritis treatments
Common questions about Voclosporin
▸What is Voclosporin (Lupkynis)?
A twice-daily capsule, approved January 22, 2021, for adults with active lupus nephritis, taken together with other immune-calming medicines.
▸How does Voclosporin work?
Voclosporin blocks calcineurin, an enzyme immune cells need to switch on. Calming that signal lowers the immune attack on the kidneys' filters. It is used on top of a background regimen of mycophenolate and steroids.
▸What are the side effects of Voclosporin?
Lupkynis has a boxed warning for cancers and serious infections, as other medicines that suppress the immune system do. In its trials the most common side effects, against placebo, were a drop in kidney filtering measured as GFR (26% against 9%), high blood pressure (19% against 9%), diarrhea (19% against 13%), headache (15% against 8%), anemia (12% against 6%), cough (11% against 2%) and urinary tract infection (10% against 6%). Kidney function and blood pressure are checked regularly, and the dose is lowered or paused if kidney function falls.
▸How is Voclosporin taken?
Three 7.9 mg capsules (23.7 mg) by mouth twice a day, together with mycophenolate and steroids, with the dose adjusted based on kidney function (eGFR). The label does not recommend starting it when eGFR is 45 or lower unless the benefit outweighs the risk, and it is not recommended together with cyclophosphamide.
▸Is Voclosporin FDA approved?
Yes, Voclosporin (Lupkynis) is FDA approved (2021) for the treatment of Lupus Nephritis.
Sources and references
Every factual claim on this page is drawn from the public sources listed below. Click any reference to open the original document.
- U.S. National Library of Medicine, DailyMed · 2026-08. LUPKYNIS (voclosporin) capsules: prescribing information. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=9f489295-1156-52c7-5fd0-5c4c52f9b813
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Novel Drug Approvals for 2021. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/new-drugs-fda-cders-new-molecular-entities-and-new-therapeutic-biological-products/novel-drug-approvals-2021
- ClinicalTrials.gov. AURORA: voclosporin in active lupus nephritis. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03021499