after joining the study, undergo screening procedures that include review of medical history, physical examination, and laboratory tests to confirm eligibility for the trial.

complete baseline assessments that record disease activity of systemic lupus erythematosus and collect blood samples for laboratory measurements.

begin standard‑of‑care oral medications as prescribed: entecavir 0.5 mg daily, tenofovir disoproxil 300 mg daily, tenofovir alafenamide 25 mg daily, and glucocorticoid 50 mg daily. each medication is taken by mouth according to the dosing schedule provided by the investigator.

receive a single injection administered subcutaneous (under the skin) in a pre‑filled syringe. the injection contains either ianalumab 300 mg or a matching placebo solution. the assignment is double‑blind, so the participant does not know which product is administered.

return for additional injections according to the study schedule, typically every four weeks, until week 60. each visit includes administration of the same assigned product (ianalumab or placebo) and assessment of any adverse events.

attend scheduled clinic visits (for example at weeks 4, 12, 24, 36, and 48) where blood samples are drawn, disease activity scores are recorded, and vital signs are measured.

report any side effects or new health problems to the study staff during each visit.

between week 36 and week 60, the investigator may attempt to reduce the daily dose of prednisone (or equivalent corticosteroid) to 5 mg or less, or to the baseline dose if it is already lower, while monitoring disease control.

at week 60, a comprehensive evaluation is performed to determine whether the participant has achieved sri‑4 (a predefined improvement in disease activity).

additional secondary outcomes are measured, including flare‑up rates, corticosteroid dose, lupus low disease activity state, and patient‑reported pain scores.

after the week 60 visit, the participant completes the active treatment phase of the trial.

the study may include a post‑treatment follow‑up period for safety monitoring, during which final laboratory tests and antibody assessments are performed.