During the last decade, new biotherapies have been developed for the treatment of systemic autoimmune diseases, especially for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). These new approaches are based on a better understanding of the auto-immune response. Targets of these new treatments are all the steps of the immune response. These new therapies are: (1) "B lymphocyte (BL)" inhibitors such as anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, anti-CD22 monoclonal antibody, BlyS antagonists, tolerogens of pathogenic-antibody secreting LB (LJP 394) and edratide; (2) "Inhibitors of the costimulation" between antigen-presenting cells and T lymphocyte (TL) like monoclonal anti-CD40 ligand antibody or CTLA-4-Ig (abatacept); (3) "Cytokine antagonists" inhibiting key cytokines of SLE: interleukin-10, interferon-alpha, interleukin-6 and TNF. These new therapies are currently under development in SLE.