Anthera Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Hayward, Calif., said the FDA granted orphan drug designation to blisibimod for the treatment of immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). Blisibimod targets B-cell activating factor, or BAFF, which has been shown to be elevated in a variety of B-cell-mediated autoimmune diseases, including IgAN, systemic lupus erythematosus and others, the company said. Anthera is currently analyzing the data from the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase II BRIGHT-SC study of blisibimod in patients with IgAN, also known as Berger's disease.