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Thursday Apr 01, 2010
ACR Partners with HHS for Lupus Initiative
The American College of Rheumatology will work in conjunction with the US Dept. of Health and Human Services' Offices of Minority Health, Women's Health, and the Surgeon General to launch an educational initiative on lupus diagnosis and treatment...

Tuesday Mar 23, 2010
President Obama Signs Landmark Health Care Bill Into Law
The historic bill is the most sweeping social legislation to be enacted in decades, and will overhaul the nation's $2.5 trillion health care system...

Thursday Feb 25, 2010
Physical Inactivity and Obesity Raises Arthritis Risk, Especially in Women
Arthritis rates are higher in the US than in Canada, according to a new study...

Tuesday Jan 26, 2010
FDA Approves Tocilizumab for Refractory RA
Tocilizumab (Actemra) has been approved for adults with moderate-to-severe RA who have not achieved adequate response with other TNF therapies...

Wednesday Nov 18, 2009
FDA Wants Pain Pump Label Warnings
Chondrolysis follows continuous intra-articular local anesthetic infusion, FDA says...

Thursday Oct 29, 2009
Bug Spray Linked to RA, Lupus
Startling new data from ACR suggest that household insecticide use increases women's risk of two autoimmune diseases...

Thursday Oct 22, 2009
For Early RA, Start with Six Months of MTX, then Add Two More DMARDs
ACR researchers report that initial treatment with methotrexate followed by step-up to two more DMARDs if needed at 6 months is as good as adding a TNF inhibitor...

Tuesday Oct 20, 2009
Infliximab Plus MTX for JIA
Infliximab plus methotrexate (MTX) bests combinations of traditional disease modifying drugs and/or MTX alone for the treatment of polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis...

Monday Oct 19, 2009
Experts Call for Early Intervention with Hip Scopes
As presented at the annual meeting of the International Society for Hip Arthroscopy, earlier intervention is better when it comes to joint-sparing hip operations...

Friday Oct 16, 2009
EMG Finds “High Risk” Zone for ACL Tears in Female Athletes
Reduced semitendinosus (ST) and elevated vastus lateralis (VL) activity increase the risk of ACL tear—and taking bits from the ST for ACL repair is probably a mistake...

Thursday Oct 15, 2009
To Scope or Not to Scope in Hip Patients Over 60
Hip arthroscopy may benefit some patients aged 60 and older with femoroacetebular impingement...

Wednesday Oct 14, 2009
Research Breakthrough: Common Retrovirus May Cause CFS
Two-thirds of chronic fatigue syndrome patients carry xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) in their blood...

Wednesday Sep 30, 2009
FDA Finally OKs Stelara for Psoriasis
The FDA has approved Centocor's Stelara (ustekinumab) for moderate to severe psoriasis...

Tuesday Sep 29, 2009
Fibromyalgia Goes Legit
Better understanding of the brain chemistry anomalies in fibromyalgia have paved the way toward more effective treatments for this pain disorder...

Thursday Sep 17, 2009
Lilly's Cymbalta Maintains Low Back Pain Relief
Data reported at a European pain meeting show that Cymbalta^® (duloxetine) maintains relief of low back pain for 41 weeks...

Wednesday Sep 16, 2009
Thunder God Vine Trounces Sulfasalazine in RA
An extract of the traditional Chinese medicinal vine Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TwHF) was better than sulfasalazine for treating rheumatoid arthritis...

Thursday Sep 10, 2009
RA Vasculitis Now “A Vanishing Entity”
Both inpatient and outpatient cases of rheumatoid vasculitis began a steep decline at about the time biologicals and early, aggressive RA treatment became standard care...

Tuesday Aug 25, 2009
First RCTs Cast Doubt on Vertebroplasty Gains
The first 2 randomized, placebo-controlled trials of vertebroplasty for osteoporotic fractures show no significant benefits for the procedure...

Tuesday Aug 11, 2009
Untreated Depression May Dim RA TNF Inhibitor Response
Persistent depression affects RA patients' response to anti-TNF treatment...

Wednesday Aug 05, 2009
Psoriasis: Not Just Skin Deep
Mark G. Lebwohl, MD says psoriasis affects the heart and other vital organs, and treatment with TNF-blockers may reduce the risk of these comorbidities...

Wednesday Aug 05, 2009
Lupus with Leucopenia, Anemia Signals Risk of Leukemia
Lupus patients with persistent leucopenia or anemia may be at risk for myeloid leukemia...

Friday Jul 31, 2009
Arthritis Patients Twice as Likely to Be Depressed, Suicidal
Rheumatologists should be on the lookout for depression and suicidal ideation among arthritis patients...

Wednesday Jul 29, 2009
TNF Inhibitors Have Different TB Risks
The risk of developing tuberculosis is 7 to 17 fold higher among patients receiving anti-TNF monoclonal antibody therapy than for those receiving soluble TNF receptors. How can you protect your patients?...

Tuesday Jul 07, 2009
Quercetin Boosts Exercise Capacity
New research shows that quercetin supplementation boosts endurance and maximal oxygen capacity in healthy, active but untrained men and women...

Monday Jul 06, 2009
IOM's Puts Arthritis Biologics Near Top of List for Comparative Studies
The Institute of Medicine puts biologic anti-inflammatory drugs near the top of its recommended list for comparative effectiveness studies...

Thursday Jul 02, 2009
Lung Study Questions Leflunomide Safety in RA
Rheumatologists who routinely use leflunomide in rheumatoid arthritis patients should be on the look-out for early signs of lung disease...

Wednesday Jun 03, 2009
DHEA Intensifies Calcium, Vitamin D Effect on BMD
Adding DHEA to calcium and vitamin D significantly increases spine BMD in older women (but not in men) and might be a good thing, provided the women don't have family cancer risk and don't need to pass any sports doping tests...

Tuesday Jun 02, 2009
Imaging Overused for Low Back Pain in Elderly
X-rays or advanced imaging scans to detect the source of low back pain are overused for certain elderly patients, mainly those treated in large practices that offer patient satisfaction-based financial incentives...

Friday May 29, 2009
NIH Pops $24M into Orphan Diseases Research
NIH will put $24 million into a new program for developing drugs for rare and neglected diseases...

Wednesday May 20, 2009
X-ray Stability Lags RA Remission by Months
Radiographic joint damage grinds to a halt only after at least 9 months of sustained disease remission...

Thursday May 07, 2009
Half of Early RA Patients Treated With Combo DMARDs Have No Disability After 11 Years
Treating early RA with 3 conventional DMARDs leads to more sustained remissions and better outcomes than starting with a single DMARD, regardless of what regimen is used after year 2...

Monday Apr 20, 2009
Forteo May Help Mend Non-Healing Fractures
Subcutaneous daily injections of parathyroid hormone (teriparatide, Forteo, Eli Lilly and Co) may help heal painful non-union or delayed union fractures by stimulating bone stem cells...

Monday Apr 13, 2009
Caffeine May Be New Rx for Pain-Free Exercise
Jumpstarting a workout with a jolt of java or another readily available caffeinated beverage may reduce the pain associated with exercise...

Tuesday Apr 07, 2009
Low Back, Limb Pain May Be Early Spondyloarthritis
Low back pain, sacroiliitis, and limb arthritis are all early signs of spondyloarthritis...

Thursday Apr 02, 2009
Back Pain: Too Little Exercise, Too Much Imaging
Patients with low back pain are using too many ineffective treatments and too few of those proven effective...

Wednesday Mar 25, 2009
Licorice Reduces Cyclosporine, Raises Methotrexate Levels
Licorice, often used in candies and food flavorings, significantly reduces absorption of cyclosporine, leading to lower than expected blood levels, but prolongs methotrexate clearance...

Monday Mar 23, 2009
More Americans Need Vitamin D to Prevent Fractures
Daily vitamin D supplements of >400 IU/day can cut fracture risk by 19-20%, but more Americans are becoming vitamin D-deficient...

Wednesday Feb 25, 2009
ACL Repairs Becoming More Common in Kids, Don't Shorten NFL Careers
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is becoming more common in school-age athletes and needs longer healing time than is sometimes allowed, but it need not jeopardize a professional sports career...

Friday Feb 20, 2009
Pain Doctors Aim to Cut Opioid Abuse, Side Effects
A new guideline issued by the American Pain Society (APS) and the American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM) aims to reduce opioid abuse, addiction, and diversion, and to minimize side effects among patients taking opioids for with chronic non-cancer pain...

Monday Feb 16, 2009
FDA Gives Nod to Uloric^® (febuxostat), First New Gout Treatment in 40 Years
The US FDA approved 40 mg and 80 mg doses of Takeda Pharmaceutical's febuxostat (Uloric) for the chronic management of hyperuricemia in patients with gout...

Monday Feb 09, 2009
Scans for Back Pain Ineffective
Imaging scans are largely ineffective at locating the source of low back pain, and may do more harm than good…

Friday Feb 06, 2009
Galderma's Vectical™ Gets FDA OK for Psoriasis
Vectical vitamin D3 ointment has been approved by the FDA for mild-to-moderate plaque psoriasis...

Thursday Feb 05, 2009
Low Back Pain Seldom Needs Surgery
Patients with discogenic low back pain can be advised to get out of bed, get some exercise, and assume that they will not need surgery...

Tuesday Jan 13, 2009
Pilates Favorite: Multifidus Emerges As Key Muscle for Preventing Back Pain
The little multifidus muscle, beloved of Pilates exercise instructors but largely ignored in other settings, turns out to be key to spinal stability...

Thursday Jan 08, 2009
BioMarin Bets $289 Million That Riquent Works in Lupus Nephritis
BioMarin has bet $289 million that the third time is the charm for La Jolla Pharmaceutical's experimental lupus drug Riquent^® (abetimus sodium), which failed to reach primary endpoints in 2 previous clinical trials...

Thursday Dec 04, 2008
FDA Panel Okays Febuxostat for Gout
A US FDA panel voted 12-0 this week to recommend approval of Takeda Pharmaceutical's febuxostat (Uloric^®), the first new gout drug in 40 years...

Tuesday Dec 02, 2008
Medicaid DXA Cuts Jeopardize Osteoporosis Care
If Medicaid reimbursement cuts for dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) are not reversed, experts predict a surge in osteoporotic fractures that will raise costs far beyond the DXA cost savings...

Monday Nov 24, 2008
Scleroderma Stem Cell Transplants Advance, Phase III Studies Recruiting Patients
Pilot data on systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients treated with autologous stem cell transplants suggest durable improvements in skin thickening and lung function. Phase III randomized trials are still open to enrollment...

Monday Nov 17, 2008
Vitamin D Levels Linked to OA Cartilage Loss, OA Pain, and SSc Disease Activity by ACR Researchers
Low vitamin D levels are associated with faster progression of joint damage, bone loss, and pain in OA and with higher levels of inflammatory markers and vascular complications in systemic sclerosis, suggesting that more attention to vitamin D supplements might be in order...

Friday Nov 14, 2008
Salix's APRISO™ Granted FDA Marketing Approval for Maintenance of Remission of Ulcerative Colitis
Apriso is a locally-acting aminosalicylate (5-ASA) and is the first and only mesalamine product approved by the FDA for once-a-day dosing for the maintenance of remission of UC in adults...

Monday Nov 10, 2008
Lilly Reports European CHMP Adopts Negative Opinion on Cymbalta^® for the Treatment of Fibromyalgia
The European CHMP has adopted a negative opinion on a Cymbalta^® (duloxetine hydrochloride) application for the treatment of fibromyalgia, recommending the refusal of a change to the marketing authorization for Cymbalta/Xeristar 30 mg and 60 mg gastroresistant capsules...

Friday Oct 31, 2008
Overnight Femoral Nerve Block As Good As 4-Day Block for Knee Replacement Pain
An overnight femoral nerve block improves function as well as a 4-day continuous femoral nerve block following total knee arthroplasty, although the continuous femoral nerve block may offer other advantages…

Monday Oct 27, 2008
VGX Initiates Follow-On, Phase I, Multiple Ascending Dose Study for Oral Anti-Inflammatory Drug Targeting RA and Type 1 Diabetes
VGX Pharmaceuticals announced phase I study results that demonstrated that its lead anti-inflammatory compound, VGX-1027, was generally safe and well tolerated in humans...

Thursday Oct 23, 2008
New Use of Pregabalin: Preventing Chronic Pain After Knee Replacement
Perioperative pregabalin (Lyrica^®) may stave off chronic pain and permit earlier mobility for patients who have total knee replacement…

Tuesday Oct 21, 2008
Cutting Better Than Splinting for Carpal Tunnel Pain, Numbness, Weakness
A Cochrane review concludes that surgery is better than splinting for relieving the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, and that a head-to-head comparison of surgery versus steroid injections is needed...

Monday Oct 20, 2008
Bone Health Organizations Around the Globe Mark World Osteoporosis Day
October 20th is World Osteoporosis Day, which is the launch of a campaign to mobilize public opinion to generate change in osteoporosis healthcare policies…

Wednesday Oct 15, 2008
Regular NSAID Use Also May Stave Off Breast Cancer
Regular use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may reduce the risk of breast cancer…

Wednesday Oct 01, 2008
Roche Says US FDA Issues Complete Response Letter for Actemra^® Biologics License Application; No New Clinical Studies Requested
Actemra^® (tocilizumab) is the first humanized interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor-inhibiting monoclonal antibody studied for the treatment of adults with moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis...

Thursday Sep 25, 2008
Disease Factors, Corticosteroids Nearly Double Heart Attack Risk in RA Patients
RA-specific factors and corticosteroid use significantly increase the risk of myocardial infarction in RA patients…

Thursday Sep 25, 2008
Centocor’s Ustekinumab Demonstrates Superior Efficacy to Enbrel^® (Etanercept) in Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis
Greater proportion of patients receiving ustekinumab achieved significant skin clearance versus patients receiving Enbrel...

Wednesday Sep 24, 2008
Alpharma Announces Positive Results From Pivotal Phase III Efficacy Trial of ALO-01 (Embeda™) Capsules for Pain Relief in Patients With OA
If approved by the US FDA, ALO-01 would be the first opioid medicine to provide a pharmacologic abuse-deterrent feature while effectively treating patients with chronic pain...

Wednesday Sep 17, 2008
NSAIDs May Block Prostate Cancer Detection
Regular use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs might reduce serum levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA) and interfere with prostate cancer detection...

Wednesday Sep 10, 2008
Joint Revision Study Suggests Using Hip Resurfacing Only in Men, Unicondylar Knee Replacement Only in Elderly Arthritis Patients
Only 1 in 75 patients with primary hip or knee replacement require revision surgery after 3 years, but limiting certain procedures to males or elderly patients might reduce this rate even more…

Tuesday Aug 19, 2008
Cheerleading More Dangerous Than High-Flying Olympic Gymnastics
Cheerleading routines resemble competitive gymnastics ever more closely but are more dangerous, accounting for two thirds of severe sports injuries to female high school and college students, and consuming 25% of the money that the NCAA insurance program spends on student athletes...

Tuesday Aug 19, 2008
Centocor Says US FDA Extends Review by 3 Months for Ustekinumab’s (CNTO 1275) Biologic License Application to Treat Plaque Psoriasis
Centocor filed an application with the FDA for ustekinumab in late 2007 seeking approval to market the drug to treat adult patients with chronic moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis...

Monday Aug 11, 2008
Older Olympians Redefine the Possible in Musculoskeletal Health
This year's summer Olympics athletes are older and may be fitter than those in previous years, and experts say these competitors are redefining musculoskeletal health for the middle-aged and older athletes...

Monday Jul 28, 2008
Chelsea Therapeutics Granted UK MHRA Approval to Begin Phase II Trial of Droxidopa, a Prodrug of Norepinephrine, in Fibromyalgia
Droxidopa, an orally active synthetic amino acid precursor of norepinephrine (NE), is converted by the body into norepinephrine and as a prodrug of NE, provides replacement therapy for NE deficiency...

Monday Jul 28, 2008
NHS TNF Inhibitor Restrictions Heighten Impact of Baseline DAS28 in RA
The British National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines for approving access to TNF inhibitors for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may be unnecessarily extending the period when steroids are not allowed and classifying >30% of patients as “nonresponders” who would not be allowed to continue anti-TNF treatment...

Thursday Jul 24, 2008
Lupus No Longer Seen As Complete Contraindication to Oral Contraceptive Use
Oral contraceptives, long considered a risk for women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), are now often considered for women with inactive or stable SLE…

Monday Jul 21, 2008
Congress Overrides Bush Veto of Medicare Bill, Stops Doc Fee Cuts, Requires Electronic Rx
Congress voted July 15 to override President George W. Bush's veto of the new Medicare bill, which now becomes law without his signature, stops a scheduled cut in fees paid to doctors, pushes hard for electronic prescribing, adds more drugs to the Medicare approved list, and dramatically changes Medicare payments for mental health services…

Tuesday Jul 08, 2008
Rheumatologists Can Expect to See More HIV-Related Joint Problems as Mortality Drops
Mortality in HIV-infected patients has dropped comparable with general population levels, especially in those who begin highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) early, and one result is that rheumatologists can expect to see more long-term HIV survivors with joint problems related to the underlying HIV, treatment, or aging...

Thursday Jul 03, 2008
Heel Ultrasound Improves Osteoporosis Diagnosis
A heel quantitative ultrasound coupled with an assessment of specific osteoporosis-related risk factors in patients can help doctors predict fracture risk and decide who would need further screening with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)…

Tuesday Jun 17, 2008
At 1 Year, Balloon Kyphoplasty Provides Better Pain, Function Outcomes Than Nonsurgical Care for Osteoporotic Vertebral Fractures
After 12 months, patients with acute vertebral compression fractures treated with balloon kyphoplasty had sustained improvements in pain and function compared with those who received nonsurgical care...

Wednesday Jun 11, 2008
Merck Announces Initiation of Second Phase II/III Pivotal Clinical Study of Atacicept in SLE
Merck and development partner ZymoGenetics have initiated a phase II/III trial of atacicept (formerly TACI-Ig) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Atacicept inhibits the two growth factors BLyS and APRIL that are known to impact disease progression...

Monday Jun 02, 2008
Osteologix Reports Additional Positive Phase II Data for NB S101 (strontium malonate) for Osteoporosis
Osteologix reported that the osteoporosis drug candidate was well-tolerated and significantly suppressed bone resorption while simultaneously improving bone mineral density (BMD) at 12 weeks...

Friday May 30, 2008
Rituximab May Be First Choice Biologic for Some RA Patients
Rituximab may be a reasonable first-line biologic choice for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who are not candidates for tumor necrosis factor α (TNF) blockers…

Thursday May 29, 2008
Medarex Initiates Phase II Proof-of-Concept Trials for MDX-1100, a Fully Human Anti-CXCL10 Monoclonal Antibody, in UC and RA
Medarex announced that it has initiated two phase II clinical development programs of MDX-1100, a fully human monoclonal antibody that targets CXCL10 (also known as IP-10), in ulcerative colitis and rheumatoid arthritis...

Friday May 23, 2008
Iatrogenic Problems Reported in Low Back Pain, Osteoporosis Patients at AACE Meeting
Cases of iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome (CS) from intra-articular triamcinolone and iatrogenic hypercalcemia from combined teriparatide-hydrochlorothiazide were reported at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists 2008 meeting...

Thursday May 22, 2008
Bone Pain Can Be a Sign of Myeloma
Patients who report bone pain should be checked for myeloma, a treatable form of bone marrow cancer

Wednesday May 14, 2008
Roche’s Fifth Phase III Study for Actemra^® Inhibits Joint Damage and Improves Physical Function of Patients With RA
Roche's Actemra^® (tocilizumab), a humanized interleukin-6 receptor-inhibiting monoclonal antibody, can significantly inhibit structural damage to joints in patients with RA...

Tuesday May 13, 2008
Osteologix’s IND for NB S101 (strontium malonate) to Treat Osteoporosis Accepted by US FDA
The US FDA has accepted Osteologix's IND application for NB S101 (strontium malonate), a dual-acting bone agent, to treat and prevent osteoporosis...

Monday May 12, 2008
Nuon Raises $27 Million to Advance Tranilast Through Phase II Clinical Trials for Autoimmune Diseases
Nuon completed a $27 million series B financing to advance tranilast, its orally available, small-molecule lead compound...

Thursday May 08, 2008
Docs Issue Guideline on Screening for Osteoporosis in Men
New clinical guidelines for screening may combat the expected 50% increase in osteoporosis cases in men…

Friday May 02, 2008
Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act Passes Congress, Heads for White House
Both houses of Congress have passed legislation that bans discrimination in employment, insurance, and other areas based on an individual’s genetic makeup, and the bill is expected to be quickly signed into law by President George W. Bush...

Thursday May 01, 2008
La Jolla Pharmaceutical Reports Positive 12-Month Interim Antibody Data From Phase III Study of Riquent^® for SLE; Significant, Sustained Reductions Observed in Antibodies to dsDNA
Analyses of data in the first 125 randomized patients indicate that for all patients treated with Riquent^® compared with placebo, there were significantly greater reductions in antibodies to double-stranded (ds) DNA...

Wednesday Apr 30, 2008
Grim Picture Painted for Lupus 5-Year Mortality Risk
Despite some advances in treatment, recently diagnosed lupus patients still face elevated risks of death within 5 years of their diagnosis when compared with lupus-free controls…

Friday Apr 25, 2008
FDA Approves New Once-a-Month Dose of Actonel^® (risedronate sodium) for Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
The US FDA has approved a new once-a-month dose (150 mg) of Actonel^® (risedronate sodium) tablets for the treatment and prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis...

Thursday Apr 24, 2008
Nothing Fishy: Fish Oil Supplement Reduces NSAID Need in RA
Rheumatoid arthritis patients who take fish oil supplements can slash their need for NSAIDs…

Thursday Apr 17, 2008
Skyrocketing Rates of Hip and Knee Replacements May Tax Healthcare System
The US healthcare system should brace itself for an exponential increase in the number of primary and revision joint arthroplasties and their associated costs…

Wednesday Apr 16, 2008
Neurochem to Advance Eprodisate (Kiacta™) in Second Phase III Trial for Amyloid A; Marketing Applications Withdrawn in US, EU, and Switzerland
Neurochem (International) Ltd announced that it intends to initiate a second phase III clinical for eprodisate (Kiacta™) to obtain market approval for the treatment of amyloid A (AA) because amyloidosis is a life-threatening disease for which there is no specific treatment...

Monday Apr 14, 2008
Twin Spine Study Shows Genes, Not Injuries Cause Most Disc Problems
Researchers with the Twin Spine Study show that most degenerative back problems are linked to genes, not to aging, injuries, lifting, or driving. They also identified several genes involved...

Friday Apr 11, 2008
FDA Warns of Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy With CellCept
FDA informed healthcare professionals that it is investigating a potential association between the use of mycophenolate mofetil and development of PML...

Friday Apr 11, 2008
Surprise Findings Suggest OTC Painkillers Help Build Muscle Mass During Weight Training
Taking daily recommended doses of ibuprofen or acetaminophen might boost muscle mass and strength…

Friday Apr 04, 2008
Seven New Psoriasis Risk Genes Identified
A genome-wide study has identified 7 new genes that appear to increase a person's risk for psoriasis…

Tuesday Apr 01, 2008
Targeted Genetics Announces Completion of Dosing for Phase I/II Clinical Trial of tgAAC94 for Inflammatory Arthritis
Dosing has been completed for Targeted Genetic's phase I/II clinical trial of tgAAC94 administered directly to affected joints of subjects with inflammatory arthritis to reduce inflammation and to avoid the potential for systemic side effects...

Thursday Mar 20, 2008
Pain Relief for Osteoporosis Patients With Fractures
Vertobroplasty provides significant pain relief for osteoporosis patients with spinal fractures…

Tuesday Mar 18, 2008
Risks of Cancer Among Men and Women With Osteoporosis
Early onset osteoporosis may be associated with an increased risk of cancer, whereas later onset osteoporosis may lead to a decreased risk of cancer…

Monday Mar 17, 2008
More Support for WHO's FRAX Fracture Risk Assessment Tool
The International Osteoporosis Foundation hails the use of the new algorithm called FRAX^™, which is based on absolute fracture risk and takes bone mineral density (BMD) and 9 specific clinical risk factors into account to estimate a patient's 10-year fracture risk…

Friday Mar 14, 2008
Gender Bias Seen in Total Knee Arthroplasty
Doctors are more likely to recommend total knee arthroplasty to male patients than to female patients...

Wednesday Mar 12, 2008
Radial Shock Wave Therapy Relieves Heel Pain, but Cartilage Safety From Procedure is Questioned at AAOS
Radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (rESWT) looks promising for relieving chronic heel pain, but animal studies have raised questions about the cartilage safety from the procedure...

Monday Mar 10, 2008
Avoidable Hospitalizations Common Among Older, Poorer SLE Patients
Rheumatologists have a key role in preventing avoidable hospitalizations among older, poorer patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)…

Wednesday Mar 05, 2008
Cholesterol-Lowering Statins Tied to Tendon Woes
Statins may raise the risk of tendon problems, but the benefits of statins generally outweigh the risks...

Friday Feb 29, 2008
Ipsen's Adenuric^® (febuxostat) for Chronic Hyperuricemia in Gout Receives Positive Opinion From CHMP; First Treatment Alternative in >40 Years if Approved by European Commission
Ipsen announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) adopted a positive opinion for Adenuric^® (febuxostat) to treat chronic hyperuricemia for conditions in which urate deposition has already occurred...

Thursday Feb 28, 2008
Adult Stem Cells Nearing Clinical Use for RA, SLE, Other Autoimmune Diseases
Adult stem cells offer a safer, less controversial approach than embryonic stem cells to treat various rheumatoid and autoimmune diseases, and are now entering randomized clinical trials...

Thursday Feb 28, 2008
Regular Aquatic Exercise Could Benefit Fibromyalgia Sufferers
Adding aquatic exercise 3 times a week to usual care for fibromyalgia may be a cost-effective strategy for improving quality of life...

Monday Feb 25, 2008
New Guide Helps Predict 10-Year Fracture Risk
A new guide can help doctors evaluate fracture risk and make treatment decisions in patients with osteopenia and osteoporosis...

Thursday Feb 14, 2008
Kidney Damage Routinely Overlooked in RA Patients; Serum Cr Not an Adequate Check
Nearly half of RA patients have compromised renal function, half of whom should have their dosage adjusted because of kidney damage...

Wednesday Feb 13, 2008
65% More Spent on Spine Problems Bought Little Relief, JAMA Study Says
Spine-related expenditures jumped 65% from 1997 to 2005, but bought little improvement in patients' health status...

Monday Feb 04, 2008
Cochrane Review: Alendronate Safe, Effective for Secondary Fracture Prevention
Alendronate can stave off vertebral, nonvertebral, hip, and wrist fractures among postmenopausal women with low bone density and/or those with previous fractures...

Monday Jan 28, 2008
Genentech, Biogen Idec, Roche Report Rituxan® (rituximab, MabThera®) Phase III Trial Meets Study Endpoints in RA; Use as First-Line Biologic Therapy Improves Symptoms 
Genentech, Inc, Biogen Idec, and Roche Pharmaceuticals announced that a pivotal phase III study of rituximab (Rituxan®) met its primary endpoint of greater proportion of biologic-naïve RA patients achieving ACR20 response at week 24, compared with placebo...

Wednesday Jan 23, 2008
ZymoGenetics, Merck Serono Gain Special Protocol Assessment from US FDA for Atacicept (TACI-Ig) in General SLE
ZymoGenetics, Inc and its partner Merck Serono Intl has received agreement from the US FDA for studies that are intended to support an application for marketing authorization of atacicept in the US for the treatment of SLE...

Tuesday Jan 22, 2008
Four Research Groups Report New Lupus Genes
A major international collaborative that includes European and North American lupus researchers, government agencies, research foundations, and industry has discovered four new lupus-related genes and may increase interest in the B-cell-receptor signaling pathway and in inflammatory cell adhesion as potential therapeutic targets...

Friday Jan 18, 2008
Bone Experts Slam New UK Limits on Osteoporosis Drugs
Some of the biggest names in osteoporosis have signed on to two papers in Bone that criticize the latest UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommendations on drugs for prevention of osteoporotic fractures, in essence charging that the agency gamed its analysis to cut costs for the National Health Service...

Tuesday Jan 15, 2008
Anika Enrolls First Patient in US Clinical Study for Monoviscâ„¢ for Knee Joint Pain Relief; Expects Product Launch in Europe in First Half 2008 
Anika Therapeutics, Inc announced that it has enrolled the first patient in a multicenter pivotal study evaluating its single-injection osteoarthritis (OA) product, Monoviscâ„¢...

Tuesday Jan 15, 2008
Three More Cases of Significant Neutropenia Lead to Recommendation for Routine CBC Monitoring
Three more cases of significant neutropenia in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis patients treated with etanercept lead to a recommendation for regular monitoring of complete blood counts (CBC)...

Monday Jan 14, 2008
8-Week Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program Improves Pain and Fatigue
The Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program, formerly called People with Arthritis Can Exercise (PACE), can safely get older, sedentary arthritis patients up off the couch, a new study shows...

Monday Jan 14, 2008
Drug Approved. Is Disease Real?
As Pfizer markets Lyrica® (pregabalin), the first approved medicine to treat fibromyalgia, doctors debate the legitimacy of the pain syndrome...

Friday Jan 11, 2008
Localized Strength Training Rx for Neck Pain
Strength training exercises focusing on the neck and shoulder muscles can help relieve chronic neck pain among female workers with trapezius myalgia...

Friday Jan 11, 2008
Earlier Knee Replacement Urged for Women With OA
Women wait until much later in the osteoarthritis disease process to have total knee arthroplasty, and this delay may be jeopardizing functional recovery...

Tuesday Jan 08, 2008
FDA Warns of Severe Bone, Joint, Muscle Pain Linked to Bisphosphonates
FDA warning highlights "severe and sometimes incapacitating" musculoskeletal pain in patients taking bisphosphonates...

Friday Jan 04, 2008
Neurochem's Eprodisate (Kiactaâ„¢) for the treatment of AA Amyloidosis Receives Negative Opinion from CHMP; Decision by US FDA Expected April 2008
Neurochem (International) Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Neurochem Inc, announced that the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use has issued a negative opinion recommending refusal of the marketing authorization application for eprodisate (Kiactaâ„¢) for the treatment of Amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis...

Thursday Dec 20, 2007
OARSI Researchers Further Refine Matrix-Associated Cartilage Repair Techniques
Matrix-associated autologous chondrocyte implantation continues to improve as a way of repairing arthritis knees, and MRI can be used to check the quality of the repaired tissue...

Wednesday Dec 19, 2007
Synovitis, Effusion, Bone Marrow Lesions Tagged As Modifiable Factors in Knee Pain
Knee pain fluctuation correlates with changes in several modifiable MRI features: synovitis, effusion, and bone marrow lesions...

Monday Dec 17, 2007
Pain in Knees with Meniscal Damage is Due to OA
Knee pain in middle-aged and older adults who have meniscal damage is due to the  osteoarthritis (OA) that often develops in such knees, not to pain from the torn meniscus...

Thursday Dec 13, 2007
Pediatric Arthritis Causes 827,000 Physician Visits Per Year
Over 290,000 children suffer from pediatric arthritis or other serious rheumatologic conditions and require an average of 827,000 ambulatory healthcare visits per year, which places a significant burden on the health care system...

Wednesday Dec 12, 2007
Ferring's Euflexxaâ„¢ (1% sodium hyaluronate) is Effective in Treating Knee OA and Reduces Pain that Interferes with ADLs; Shows Equal Effectiveness in Disease Stages Two and Three
Ferring Pharmaceuticals announced the results of two clinical studies on the efficacy of Euflexxaâ„¢, an intra-articular hyaluronic acid (IA-HA) for the relief of pain in knee osteoarthritis (OA)...

Wednesday Nov 28, 2007
Update on Joint Replacement
Total joint replacement has reduced pain and disability in elderly patients with arthritis. The procedure is cost-effective even for high-risk patients, but it is associated with higher risk for cardiac complications if both joints are replaced during the same procedure, and it might be chosen by more African-American patients if finances were less of an issue...

Tuesday Nov 20, 2007
Novartis Says Health Regulators in UK and Germany Suspend Marketing and Sale of Prexige® Pending Outcome of European Regulatory Review
Novartis Pharmaceuticals AG announced that health regulators in the UK and Germany have suspended the marketing and sale of Prexige® (lumiracoxib), a COX-2 inhibitor for patients with osteoarthritic pain, following a review of the drug's benefit/risk profile...

Thursday Nov 15, 2007
Response to RA Therapy in First 3 Months Predicts Chance of Remission at 1 Year
Rheumatoid arthritis disease activity during the first 3 months of treatment predicts response at 1 year, and even partial response may "reset the baseline" for subsequent treatment...

Tuesday Nov 13, 2007
Single Botulinum Toxin Injection Smooths Out OA Shoulder Pain

A single intra-articular injection of botulinum toxin type A relieved shoulder pain for a month in patients with refractory OA...

Thursday Nov 08, 2007
Centocor, Schering-Plough's Anti-TNF Golimumab Significantly Reduced Signs and Symptoms of AS in Phase III Study; Monthly Treatment Yielded Marked Improvements in Physical Function
Centocor, Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, announced that more than half of patients receiving monthly subcutaneous injections of golimumab 50 mg and 100 mg experienced significant and sustained improvements in the signs and symptoms of active ankylosing spondylitis (AS), according to the phase III study (GO-RAISE trial) results...

Wednesday Nov 07, 2007
Osteologix Reports Osteoporosis Phase II Trial of Strontium Malonate Meets Primary Endpoint
Osteologix, Inc, a specialty biopharmaceutical company targeting musculoskeletal diseases, announced positive top-line results of an international, randomized, double-blind, active-controlled phase II dose-response of its lead investigational drug, strontium malonate (NB S101) for osteoporosis...

Thursday Nov 01, 2007
Few Remissions From Switching to Other DMARDs After MTX Failure
If initial MTX fails to produce remission in RA, adding or switching to other conventional DMARDs is also unlikely to produce remissions...

Wednesday Oct 31, 2007
BREAKING NEWS: FDA Heightens Warning About Miscarriage, Birth Defects With Drug Used Off-Label for Lupus Nephritis

FDA has raised the warning level for mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) from Category C to Category D (positive evidence of fetal risk)...

Wednesday Oct 31, 2007
Coley Initiates Phase I Study of First-in-Class TLR Antagonist, CPG 52364, for the Treatment of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus 
Coley Pharmaceutical Group, Inc, an international biopharmaceutical company having a pipeline of Toll-Like Receptor (TLR) therapeutic product candidates, announced that it has dosed its first subject in a phase I study of its novel, orally-available TLR Therapeutic drug candidate for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)...

Tuesday Oct 30, 2007
Mayo Clinic Researchers Report Disheartening Data on RA Mortality

Despite earlier diagnoses and a plethora of new drugs, RA patients are living no longer today than they were 40 years ago and are falling ever farther behind the survival curve of the general population...

Tuesday Oct 30, 2007
Novartis' Voltaren® (diclofenac) Gel Receives FDA Approval as First Topical NSAID Prescription Treatment for OA Pain of the Knees and Hands 
Novartis Pharmaceuticals AG announced that Voltaren® Gel (diclofenac sodium topical gel) 1% has received US FDA regulatory approval as the first topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) prescription treatment for use in treating pain associated with osteoarthritis (OA) in joints amenable to topical treatment...

Thursday Oct 25, 2007
Prostate Cancer Doubles Fracture Risk
Men with prostate cancer treated with orchidectomy or androgen deprivation are at increased risk for fractures, particularly of the hip, and should have bone density evaluated regularly...

Thursday Oct 25, 2007
Systematic Review: Few Signs of Tai Chi Efficacy in RA 
Tai chi exercise is often recommended for patients with arthritis, including RA, but a systematic review finds little evidence that it is effective...

Tuesday Oct 23, 2007
Experts Fret About How to Regulate "Generic" Biologics
Biopharmaceuticals are beginning to come off patent, promising cost savings for patients and headaches for regulators...

Friday Oct 19, 2007
First CDC Study to Find That 33% of Adults With Arthritis Report Reduced Ability to Work
Arthritis accounts for up to 15% of lost work days in some states, and a median 33% of adults with arthritis report reduced ability to work...

Wednesday Oct 17, 2007
Acupuncture Cuts Postop Pain, Opioid Use
Acupuncture should be considered an option for postop pain control among patients after orthopaedic surgery...

Monday Oct 15, 2007
Enlarging Bone Marrow Lesions Add to Knee Pain

Research shows that new onset knee pain was strongly linked with an increase of two or more units in bone marrow lesions...

Thursday Oct 11, 2007
Review Rejects "Chronic Lyme Disease" Diagnosis, Extended IV Antibiotics
A major review challenges "chronic Lyme disease" as a valid diagnosis and warns against extended use of IV antibiotics...

Wednesday Oct 10, 2007
Health Canada Withdraws Market Authorization for Prexige® (Lumiracoxib), Novartis' COX-2 Inhibitor for Osteoarthritis

Health Canada, the federal department responsible for helping Canadians maintain and improve their health, has advised consumers that it has stopped the sale of the anti-inflammatory drug Prexige® (lumiracoxib) and will cancel the drug's market authorization due to potential serious liver-related adverse events (hepatitis)...

Tuesday Oct 09, 2007
Centocor Reports Infrequently-Administered Subcutaneous Injection of Anti-IL-12/23 Antibody, Ustekinumab, Resulted in Long-Term PASI 75 Response in Phase III Study
Centocor, Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, announced findings from an international, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase III study involving 1230 subjects...

Thursday Oct 04, 2007
New Low Back Pain Guidelines Discourage Routine Imaging or Rest for Most Patients
New clinical guidelines for low back pain (LBP) discourage routine imaging in nonspecific LBP, set criteria for diagnostic imaging including MRI, recommend NSAIDs or acetaminophin as first-line drugs, urge the addition of nondrug therapy in difficult cases, and tell physicians to keep patients moving...

Wednesday Oct 03, 2007
Media Miss Point of Acupuncture Back Pain Study

Superficial needling at nonacupuncture points is as good as true acupuncture for relieving chronic low back pain and both are better than conventional therapy, raising the possibility that a "superplacebo effect" accounts for the benefits associated with acupuncture in previous studies...

Friday Sep 21, 2007
 TNF Blockade Slows But Does Not Stop X-Ray Progression in AS
Four-year follow-up data show that infliximab slows but does not inhibit radiographic progression in AS…

Thursday Sep 20, 2007
Targeted Genetics Provides Update on its Inflammatory Arthritis Phase I/II Trial on Clinical Hold Following Patient Death; Data To Date Does Not Implicate Study Agent
Targeted Genetics Corp, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, reported on the public hearing conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recombinant DNA advisory committee (RAC), which reviewed the serious adverse event (SAE) reported by Targeted surrounding the death of a patient participating in the company's phase I/II trial of tgAAC94 for inflammatory arthritis...

Thursday Sep 20, 2007
Researchers Identify Additional RA, SLE Genes
Genetics researchers report a new variant on chromosome 9 associated with anti-CCP-positive RA and a mutation of STAT4 on chromosome 2q associated with both RA and lupus...

Wednesday Sep 19, 2007
Sosei's Fibromyalgia Phase II Trial of Nonopioid Analgesic, AD 337, Fails to Achieve Primary Endpoint
Sosei Group Corp, an international biopharmaceutical company focused on drug reprofiling, announced that its phase II proof-of-principle trial of AD 337 (an enantiomer of an approved, centrally acting, nonopioid, analgesic) for the treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) failed to achieve a statistically significant outcome in its primary endpoint at 4 weeks...

Monday Sep 17, 2007
Anesiva Initiates New Phase II Trial of Adleaâ„¢ for Pain Relief Following Total Knee Arthroplasty
Anesiva, Inc, a publicly-held, late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel therapeutic treatments for pain management, announced that it has initiated a new phase II study of Adleaâ„¢, a long-acting, nonopiate TRPV1 agonist, for the relief of postoperative pain in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA)...

Wednesday Sep 05, 2007
Health Canada Approves Actonel® 75 mg; First 2-Day Monthly Dosing Regimen to Treat Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
The Alliance for Better Bone Health, formed in 1997 by Procter & Gamble and Aventis Pharmaceuticals Inc (now part of sanofi-aventis) to promote bone health and disease awareness, announced that the government's Health Canada has approved Actonel® (risedronate sodium tablets) 75 mg, the first monthly 2-day dosing regimen for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis...

Wednesday Sep 05, 2007
Rheumatologists Asked to Take Lead in Reducing Cardiovascular Risk in RA Patients
The chronic inflammation that characterizes many rheumatoid diseases is thought to be one cause of the higher rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) that afflicts these patients. Experts say not enough is being done to educate patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) about the importance of early CV protection, and that early education is critical—before clinically apparent CVD is detectable...van Leuven SI, et al. Rheumatology. 2007; rheumatology/kem202 [Epub ahead of print]; John H, et al. Rheumatology. 2007; doi:10.1093/rheumatology/kem176 [Epub ahead of print].

Friday Aug 31, 2007
TNF Inhibitors Raise Risk for Skin Cancers But Not Other Malignancies
The final report from a large observational study of more than 13,000 patients clears TNF inhibitors of increasing the incidence of solid tumors or lymphomas but finds that TNF-inhibitor treatment is associated with a significant increase in melanomas and other skin cancers…Wolfe F, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2007;56:2886-2895.

Thursday Aug 30, 2007
Vitamin K₂ Supplements Protect Bone Architecture
Three years of dietary supplementation with vitamin K₂ maintained bone strength and architecture despite having little effect on BMD...

Tuesday Aug 28, 2007
New Zealand Regulatory Authority, Medsafe, Revokes Consents for Prexige® 200 mg and 400 mg Tablets; Novartis Issues Recall Notice 
The Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority, Medsafe, has revoked the consents allowing the supply in New Zealand of the COX-2 anti-inflammatory medicine Prexige (lumiracoxib) 200 mg and 400 mg tablets on the grounds that the tablets can no longer be administered or used safely for the purposes indicated in the regulatory application for consent...

Monday Aug 27, 2007
Harkness Dance Medicine Head Urges Clinicians to Prepare for the "High School Musical 2" Generation

Musicals are back, dance classes are filled, clinicians are facing more dancers or former dancers with musculoskeletal problems, and dance medicine experts are urging clinicians to heed the beat of dancing feet...

Thursday Aug 23, 2007
Roche Announces NICE Approves MabThera® (rituximab) for Patients With Severe RA
Roche Products Ltd  announced that the independent organization NICE has issued final guidance to the NHS approving the use of MabThera^R (rituximab), in combination with methotrexate, for the treatment of severe active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adults...

Thursday Aug 23, 2007
NICE Issues Positive Appraisal of Abbott's Humira® (adalimumab) for the Treatment of Psoriatic Arthritis in UK Patient Population 
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has published final guidance on the use of Humira® (adalimumab, Abbott Laboratories), a recombinant human monoclonal antibody that binds specifically to TNF-a, for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis (PsA)...

Monday Aug 20, 2007
Novartis' Once-Yearly Reclast® Receives US FDA Approval for Women With Postmenopausal Osteoporosis 
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp announced that its once-yearly, 15-minute infusion treatment of Reclast® (zoledronic acid) injection has been approved by the US FDA for women with postmenopausal osteoporosis...

Wednesday Aug 15, 2007
Successful Gout Treatment Requires Up To 33 Months to Clear Urate Crystals From Joint Fluid
Reduction of serum uric acid levels eventually clears urate crystals from the synovial fluid in patients with gout, but this may require up to 33 months of treatment in some cases...Pascual E, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2007;66:1056-1058.

Thursday Aug 02, 2007
TNF Inhibitors May Restore Adrenal Function in RA
TNF inhibitors appear to improve adrenal function in some RA patients, resulting in restoration of stable hormonal homeostasis...

Wednesday Jul 18, 2007
Neurochem Receives Second Approvable Letter From US FDA for Eprodisate (Kiactaâ„¢) to Treat AA Amyloidosis
Neurochem (International) Limited  announced that it has received a second approvable letter from the US FDA for eprodisate (Kiactaâ„¢)...

Thursday Jul 12, 2007
Parvovirus Linked to Many Types of Juvenile Arthritis
Persistent parvovirus infection may trigger juvenile idiopathic arthritis...

Thursday Jul 12, 2007
Roche's Actemraâ„¢ (tocilizumab) Third Phase III Study Achieves Primary Endpoint in RA Patients Who Failed to Respond to Anti-TNFs; Confirms Findings From Previous Multinational Trials
Hoffmann-La Roche Inc announced that the Actemraâ„¢ RADIATE (RheumAtoiD ArthritIs Study in Anti-TNF FailurEs) trial successfully met its primary endpoint in patients with moderate-to-severe active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who failed to respond to at least one anti-TNF therapy...

Tuesday Jul 10, 2007
Hydroxychloroquine Protects RA Patients Against Diabetes
RA patients taking hydroxychloroquine are up to 77% less likely to develop diabetes than RA patients who have not taken this drug...

Monday Jul 09, 2007
Zap Away Knee OA Pain With Pulsed Electrostimulation
Pulsed electrostimulation may be a safe and effective way to reduce pain and improve function in knee OA patients...

Thursday Jun 28, 2007
Knee OA Synovitis Linked To Pain but Not To Cartilage Loss
Longitudinal MRI shows that changes in knee synovitis correlate with pain but not with cartilage loss in knee OA and suggest that treatment targeted to synovitis may improve pain…

Thursday Jun 21, 2007
Genzyme Files for FDA Approval of Single-Treatment Synvisc-Oneâ„¢ for OA Knee Pain
Genzyme Corp announced filing with the US FDA for product marketing authorization (PMA) of Synvisc-Oneâ„¢, the single treatment combining three doses of Synvisc® (hylan G-F 20) that provides up to 6 months of pain relief from osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee...

Monday Jun 18, 2007
Immediate Switch From TNF-Inhibitors To Abatacept Safe in RA Patients
A washout is not needed when switching from a TNF-inhibitor to abatacept...

Thursday Jun 14, 2007
More Patients Needed to Validate Biomarkers and Genotyping in Rheumatoid Diseases
Biomarkers and genotyping technology have outpaced the number of patient cohorts available for validation studies in rheumatoid diseases, but the new approaches are expected to change how clinicians assess disease susceptibility and predict response to therapy...

Thursday Jun 07, 2007
ChemoCentryx Reports Positive Phase II Clinical Data for the CCR9 antagonist Traficet-EN® in Crohn's
ChemoCentryx, Inc, a privately-held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focusing on discovering, developing, and commercializing orally-administered therapeutics that target the chemokine system, reported data from its phase II clinical trial of Traficet-EN in moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease. Traficet-EN is an oral anti-inflammatory agent that targets the chemokine receptor CCR9...

Tuesday Jun 05, 2007
Peptech's Anti-TNF Domain Antibody (PN0621) Enters Phase I Clinical Trial
Peptech Limited, is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing and providing antibody- and peptide-based human therapeutic products for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and cancer...

Thursday May 24, 2007
Is Mycophenolate Mofetil Plus Steroid Now Standard Therapy for Lupus Nephritis?
Mycophenolate mofetil plus corticosteroids may emerge as the de facto standard for lupus nephritis, even without regulatory approval...

Thursday May 24, 2007
SLE Experts Highlight Need for Targeted Therapies
SLE treatment has improved, but not enough, and more targeted therapies may be the answer...

Wednesday May 23, 2007
New SLE Treatments Hit B-Cells From Several Directions
Various new treatments directed at B-cells offer mounting interest in SLE arsenal...

Wednesday May 23, 2007
4SC AG Updates Progress of Phase IIa Clinical Trial in RA

4SC AG, focusing on the discovery and development of novel drug candidates for inflammatory diseases and cancer using a cheminformatics-based technology platform, reported on the progress of a phase IIa clinical trial of its lead drug candidate SC12267, an orally bioavailable small molecule inhibitor of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)...

Tuesday May 22, 2007
Environment Interaction Seen As Next Step in Lupus Genetics
New gene analysis techniques have led to the discovery and characterization of several genes associated with SLE...

Monday May 21, 2007
Risedronate Bests Alendronate for Fracture Reduction in REAL-World Setting
Patients receiving once-weekly risedronate have lower rates of hip and nonvertebral fractures during their first year of therapy than their counterparts who receive once-weekly alendronate...

Friday May 11, 2007
Lupus Gene Protects Against Malaria, But Does Malaria Also Prevent Lupus?
A mutation that renders the FcγRIIb receptor nonfunctional vastly improves monocytes' ability to clear malaria parasites, protects lupus-prone mice against malarial disease, and may explain the high prevalence of lupus in some population groups. Interestingly, there is also some evidence suggesting that the body's response to malarial infection might reduce lupus severity in some situations...Clatworthy MR, et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2007;104:7169-7174.

Thursday May 10, 2007
Hydrotherapy, Tai Chi May Be Better Than Traditional Land-Based Exercises for OA
Hydrotherapy and Tai Chi are both better at improving physical function in OA patients than traditional exercise programs, and hydrotherapy has a particularly high patient adherence, perhaps because it seems to provide greater pain relief...

Tuesday May 08, 2007
2-Year Results Support Use of New Chondrocyte Graft to Repair Knee OA Damage
Two-year follow-up of a new 3-dimensional scaffold that permits grafting of autologous chondrocyte to repair knee cartilage defects show promising results in both knee OA and knee trauma, and the procedure can be done arthroscopically...

Monday May 07, 2007
Novartis' Once-Yearly Reclast^R Significantly Reduces Bone Fractures in Women With Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp announced that its once-yearly treatment of Reclast^R (zoledronic acid) significantly reduces the incidence of all types of osteoporotic bone fractures in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis...

Thursday May 03, 2007
Parental Responses May Perpetuate Catastrophizing in Adolescents With Chronic Pain
Parents of adolescents who have chronic musculoskeletal pain may be unwittingly encouraging  a psychological pattern that worsens both pain intensity and functional disability in their children...

Wednesday May 02, 2007
Yearly Injection of Zoledronic Acid Cuts Spine Fracture Risk by 70%
A single intravenous 5-mg dose of zoledronic acid (Reclast®), given once yearly, can significantly reduce the risk of vertebral, hip,and other fractures, but its major advantage may lie in the ease of administration…

Thursday Apr 26, 2007
Balance Training May Help Reverse Frailty, Prevent Osteoporosis-Related Fractures
Balance training alone or in combination with strength, agility and jumping training can reduce the risk of falls and prevent frailty in women at risk of osteoporosis…

Tuesday Apr 17, 2007
Neurochem's Eprodisate (Kiactaâ„¢) for AA Amyloidosis Approval Decision Delayed 3 Months by US FDA
Neurochem (International) Limited announced that it received notification from the US FDA that the action date for FDA's review of the New Drug Application (NDA) for eprodisate (Kiactaâ„¢, 1,3-propanedisulfonate, formerly Fibrillexâ„¢) an oral investigational product candidate for the treatment of amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis, has been extended to July 16, 2007...

Friday Apr 13, 2007
FDA Panel Rejects Merck's Arcoxia By 20-to-1 Vote
Citing increased cardiovascular risks, an FDA advisory panel voted 20-to-1 against recommending approval of the COX-2 inhibitor ArcoxiaR (etoricoxib) for the treatment of osteoarthritis...

Friday Apr 13, 2007
Better Pain Management Urged for OA Patients Awaiting Hip or Knee Replacement in U.K.
Most patients on waiting lists for hip or knee replacement in Britain, report continuing, severe pain and suboptimal levels of analgesia...

Wednesday Apr 11, 2007
La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company to Net Approximately $38 Million in Public Offering


La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company, a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, announced the receipt of estimated aggregate net proceeds of approximately $38 million from the recently completed underwritten public offering of 5,800,000 shares of its common stock, including the expected proceeds from an exercised overallotment option to the underwriters to purchase an additional 870,000 shares...

Monday Apr 09, 2007
Study on Link Between RA and Diabetes Leaves Many Questions Unanswered

Some research has suggested an inflammation-mediated link between RA and diabetes, but a new study may debunk this theory...

Thursday Apr 05, 2007
More Evidence Points Toward Safety of Anti-TNF Drugs During Pregnancy
Three recent case reports add to an accumulating body of evidence that the TNF-blockers are safe during pregnancy, but one new report is far from the final word on the issue...

Thursday Apr 05, 2007
Labopharm Reports Data from Phase III Clinical Trial for its Once-Daily Formulation of the Analgesic Tramadol (Tramadol Contramid® OAD) for Osteoarthritis
Labopharm Inc (LAVAL, Québec, Canada), is an international specialty pharmaceutical company focusing on the development of drugs incorporating it's proprietary advanced controlled-release technologies...

Monday Mar 26, 2007
Job Stress, One-Handed Lifting Increases Risk of Knee Pain
Nearly one in 10 new workers develop knee pain in the 2 years after they start working. On-the-job stress and single-handed lifting are the two major risk factors…

Thursday Mar 22, 2007
New Studies Urge Closer Monitoring for JIA-Related Uveitis, TNF-Inhibitors Effective For Difficult Cases

New studies report that uveitis occurs in up to 20% of JIA patients, that TNF-inhibitors may be effective in hard-to-treat cases, and that close monitoring for uveitis should continue even during arthritis remissions...

Thursday Mar 15, 2007
Growing Conflict-of-Interest Concerns Drive Demands for International Registration of All Clinical Trials
Growing evidence of a correlation between industry sponsorship of clinical trials and reported outcomes favorable to the sponsor are driving demands for an international clinical trials registration system that would include data beginning with phase I studies and continuing through completion of phase III trials...

Friday Mar 09, 2007
La Jolla Pharmaceutical Reports Positive Interim Antibody Results From Riquent® Lupus Phase III Trial; Results Imply Greater Probability of Clinical Benefit in the Treatment of Lupus Renal Disease as a Trial Outcome
La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company, a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, announced positive interim antibody results from its ongoing double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized phase III trial of Riquent® (abetimus sodium), its drug candidate for the treatment of renal disease in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Thursday Mar 08, 2007
Stroke Specialists Urge More Attention to Hyperlipidemia, Hypertension, Baseline Lupus Activity as Predictors for Stroke
An 8-year longitudinal study of 238 lupus patients targets baseline SLE activity, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension as predictors of severe ischemic strokes and recommends aggressive intervention...

Monday Mar 05, 2007
La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company Implements Several Modifications and Updates Status of  Phase III Riquent® Study for the Treatment of Lupus Renal Disease
La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company (SAN DIEGO, California) announced its continued progress in enrolling patients in its phase III clinical trial of Riquent® (abetimus sodium) for the treatment of lupus renal disease.

Monday Mar 05, 2007
AAN Therapeutics Panel Discourages Use of Epidural Steroid Injections for Radicular Low Back or Cervical Pain
The American Academy of Neurology's therapeutics and technology assessment subcommittee cautions against use of epidural steroid injections for radicular lumbosacral pain and concludes that there is insufficient evidence to make any recommendation for radicular cervical pain...

Tuesday Feb 27, 2007
UCB Reports Significant Reduction in Joint Damage From Phase III Results With Cimzia in Rheumatoid Arthritis; Fc Region Present in Conventional Anti-TNFs Is Not Required for Activity
UCB, a global biopharmaceutical company, announced results of an international, multicenter, placebo-controlled phase III study (RAPID 1) involving nearly 1000 patients that evaluated the investigational agent Cimziaâ„¢ (certolizumab pegol)...

Tuesday Feb 13, 2007
SRI and Telik Announce Exclusive License for SRI to Develop MCP-1 Antagonist for Autoimmune and Inflammatory Diseases
Telik, Inc, a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering, developing, and commercializing novel small molecule drug candidates, and SRI International, an independent nonprofit research and development organization, announced that they have signed an exclusive license agreement...

Tuesday Feb 13, 2007
Wider Use of Spinal Cord Stimulation for Axial LBP Urged at Pain Medicine Meeting
Spinal cord stimulation is effective for axial low back pain (LBP) as well as for radiculopathy and should be more widely used for pain relief in LBP patients who have persistent pain associated with failed back surgery syndrome...

Monday Feb 12, 2007
Etoricoxib Reduces Mild but Not Serious GI Events Versus Diclofenac
The gradual return of the coxibs gained traction this week with a report in The Lancet that etoricoxib produced significantly fewer upper GI clinical events than diclofenac in RA or OA patients in the randomized MEDAL program studies...

Tuesday Jan 30, 2007
Whiplash Rarely Results in Widespread Pain
New research shows that individuals with whiplash who report early symptoms of depression and those with severe neck injury are most at risk for widespread pain...

Tuesday Jan 30, 2007
Arthritis Costs Consumed 1.2% of US GDP in 2003, but Per-Patient Costs Are Not Rising
CDC's latest analysis of direct and indirect costs of arthritis and related conditions finds a population-driven surge to $128 billion in 2003. The surprise is that per-person direct medical costs actually decreased slightly. Centers for Disease Control...

Thursday Jan 25, 2007
TNF Inhibitors May Protect Against Several Types of RA Cardiovascular Risk
RA patients treated with TNF inhibitors might also gain some protection against CV morbidity and mortality...

Tuesday Jan 23, 2007
Older Men Are as Vulnerable to Second Osteoporotic Fractures as Women—and Receive Even Less Treatment
After a first low-trauma fracture, men are as likely as women to have a second fracture and are less likely to receive osteoporosis care...

Monday Jan 22, 2007
Merrion Reports Positive Clinical Results for Osteoporosis Drug MER 103, An Innovative Dosage Form of Alendronate (Fosamax); Absorbed More Effectively and Improved Dosing Ritual vs Fosamax
Merrion Pharmaceuticals Ltd, a privately-held international specialty pharmaceutical company engaged in the development of improved oral dosage forms of drugs that have poor bioavailability, announced the successful completion of a phase II clinical pharmacology study of MER 103.

Monday Jan 22, 2007
Glenmark's Lead Drug Candidate for pain, GRC 6211, Enters Phase I in Europe; Osteoarthritis a Target
Glenmark Pharmaceuticals SA, the wholly owned Swiss subsidiary of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd (MUMBAI, India), a research-led, global, fully integrated pharmaceutical company, has applied for phase I clinical trials in Europe for GRC 6211...

Friday Jan 19, 2007
Anesiva's Phase II and Phase III Pivotal Clinical Studies of 4975, a Long-Acting Pain Candidate, to Start in 2007 for Osteoarthritis and Postsurgical Pain (Total Knee Arthroplasty)
Anesiva, Inc. (SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, California), a publicly-held, late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel therapeutic treatments for pain management, announced the planned phase II/III clinical trial program for the development of 4975, a long-acting, nonopioid, capsaicin-based agonist of TRPV1 (transient receptor potential vanilloid 1; formerly known as vanilloid receptor 1 or VR1), a ligand-gated ion channel activated by agonists such as capsaicin and other factors (eg, heat and acidosis), for the acute treatment of severe pain including osteoarthritis (OA) and postsurgical pain...

Friday Jan 19, 2007
Hazardous Waste Exposure Increases Early SLE Risk in Subgroup of African-American Women with GST Polymorphisms
Living near a hazardous waste site was not associated with risk of earlier lupus diagnosis for most African-American women surveyed in the Roxbury Lupus Project, but did increase risk for a subgroup of women who carry certain  glutathione S-transferase polymorphisms...

Wednesday Jan 17, 2007
Genzyme's Cerezyme Improves Bone Mineral Density in Patients With Type 1 Gaucher Disease
Genzyme Corporation (CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts) announced that long-term use of Cerezyme® (imiglucerase for injection) significantly improves bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with Type 1 Gaucher disease in a dose-dependent manner. Cerezyme, an enzyme replacement therapy, is the standard of care for patients with Type 1 Gaucher disease who are at increased risk for developing bone complications, including osteopenia, osteoporosis, and fractures...

Tuesday Jan 16, 2007
Can-Fite Completes Enrollment of 250 Patients in Phase IIb RA Trial of CF101, an A3 Adenosine Receptor Agonist; Receives US$1 Million Payment from Seikagaku Corporation
Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd, a clinical-stage drug development company focused on a portfolio of orally bioavailable, highly selective, small molecule A(3) adenosine receptor (A(3)AR) agonists with potent activities in inflammation and cancer, announced the  completion of patient enrollment in a phase IIb rheumatoid arthritis (RA) clinical trial of CF101, an A(3)AR agonist...

Wednesday Jan 10, 2007
GlaxoSmithKline to Acquire Praecis Pharmaceuticals for US$54.8 Million; Acquisition Includes Inhibitor of Methionine Aminopeptidase Type-2 for RA
GlaxoSmithKline plc and Praecis Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (WALTHAM, Massachusetts) announced the execution of a definitive agreement providing for GSK to acquire all outstanding shares of Praecis' common stock for a cash purchase price of US$5.00 per share or a total of approximately $54.8 million for the entire equity interest of Praecis. The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2007.

Monday Jan 08, 2007
Ethanol Prevents Joint Destruction in Mouse RA Model
Arthritis-prone mice obliged to drink 10% ethanol for 5 weeks were largely protected from developing destructive joint disease...

Monday Jan 08, 2007
MedImmune In-Licenses from Japan Tobacco anti-ICOS Monoclonal Antibody for Inflammatory Diseases
MedImmune, Inc announced an exclusive license agreement with Japan Tobacco, Inc (JT), for a human monoclonal antibody inhibiting inducible costimulator (ICOS), a protein associated with T-cell activation that plays a key role in controlling adaptive immune responses.

Thursday Jan 04, 2007
RA Emerges as Major Burden in Developing Countries
The average societal cost of RA cases in Thailand is estimated at over 40% of patients' average annual income...

Wednesday Jan 03, 2007
Shire Receives Label Agreement in Europe for Ulcerative Colitis Treatment, Mezavant (mesalazine)
Shire plc, the third largest pharmaceutical company in the UK, announced that core labeling information, part of Shire's Marketing Authorization Application for the ulcerative colitis (UC) treatment Mezavantâ„¢ (mesalazine, once-daily, high-dose 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) in a delayed and extended release formulation), has been agreed by the regulatory agencies for the 15 European countries (including Germany, France, Spain, and the United Kingdom) participating in the decentralized procedure.

Wednesday Jan 03, 2007
The Change in (Chronic) Pain Is Plainly in the Brain
Patients with chronic lower back pain show imaging changes in the cingulate gyrus, postcentral gyrus, and prefrontal cortex...

Thursday Dec 21, 2006
Peripheral Sensory Neuropathy in Lupus—Is Vitamin B6 Toxicity to Blame? —Updated
As growing numbers of Americans turn to vitamin and mineral supplements to boost their health, a new case report showing that vitamin B6 toxicity may have caused peripheral sensory neuropathy in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is cause for concern...

Monday Dec 18, 2006
Genzyme, Anika Retain Separate Medicare Code and Reimbursement Rate for Synvisc and Orthovisc, Respectively; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Reverse Earlier Decision
Genzyme Corp (CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts) and Anika Therapeutics, Inc (WOBURN, Massachusetts)  independently announced that Synvisc® (hylan G-F 20) and  Orthovisc®, their respective hyaluronic acid (HA) viscosupplement products used to treat pain caused by osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee, will maintain separate reimbursement codes and rates for 2007, according to a decision made by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Wednesday Dec 13, 2006
Massage May Be Just What the Doctor Ordered for Pain of Knee OA
Swedish massage therapy may help decrease pain and improve function among patients with knee osteoarthritis...

Tuesday Dec 12, 2006
ChemoCentryx Releases Additional Clinical and Preclinical Data on Traficet-EN in Inflammatory Bowel Disease; Clinical Analysis Shows that Traficet-EN Reduces Inflammation
ChemoCentryx, Inc (MIAMI, Florida), a privately held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing orally-administered therapeutics that target the chemokine and chemoattractant systems in order to treat autoimmune diseases, inflammatory disorders, and cancer, announced new data from a phase II clinical trial of its lead drug candidate Traficet-ENR (CCX282-B, a first-in-class, orally active, anti-inflammatory agent that targets the chemokine receptor known as CCR9) in patients with moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease (CD).

Thursday Dec 07, 2006
High-Dose Immune Suppression With or Without Stem Cell Transplants For Systemic Sclerosis
Studies are evaluating stem cell transplantation as a potential treatment for autoimmune disease, however, researchers sharply disagree regarding myeloablative vs nonmyeloablative approaches and whether stem cells are really necessary...

Friday Dec 01, 2006
Registry Study Says RA Biologics Raise Odds of Melanomas and Skin Cancers, Not Other Malignancies

The latest attempt to sort out the relationship between TNF inhibitors and cancer risk in RA patients found no increase in overall cancer risk, but substantial increases in melanoma and nonmelanomatous skin cancer rates in patients treated with these agents...Wolfe F, et al. Presented at: ACR 2006 Meeting.

Thursday Nov 30, 2006
Pregnant Women with SLE Face High Risk of Death, Infection
Pregnant women with lupus need to be followed closely by both a rheumatologist and an obstetrician experienced in high-risk pregnancies, as these women are at increased risks of mortality, infection, and other serious complications during gestation...

Wednesday Nov 29, 2006
Source MDx Awarded SBIR Phase I Grant; Will Collaborate with Tufts-New England Medical Center to Develop Biomarkers to Predict Responders and Nonresponders to Anti-TNF Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Source MDx, a molecular diagnostics company, and Tufts-New England Medical Center (NEMC) announced a collaboration to investigate the clinical use of RNA-based molecular diagnostic tests to monitor rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease status and response to therapy.

Tuesday Nov 21, 2006
Study Helps Explain Why Smoking Slows Ligament and Bone Healing
Smoking cigarettes delays cartilage formation in healing bone fractures and slows type I collagen production and recruitment of cells linked to healing of torn ligaments…

Monday Nov 20, 2006
Pregabalin Offers Durable Pain Relief in Fibromyalgia
The anticonvulsant pregabalin may offer extended pain relief to fibromyalgia patients... Crofford LJ, et al. Presented at: ACR 2006 Meeting.

Wednesday Nov 15, 2006
Is Resection Necessary? Meniscal Tears Rarely Cause Pain
Meniscal resection may do little to relieve pain among older patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA), as meniscal tears are common but rarely cause any symptoms... Englund M, et al. Presented at ACR 2006 Meeting.

Tuesday Nov 14, 2006
Single Nucleotide Change in IL-4 Receptor Gene Predicts Rapidly Erosive RA
Presence of a specific polymorphism in the IL-4 receptor, combined with rheumatoid factor and one copy of the HLA-DR shared epitope, predicts with 90% accuracy that a specific RA patient will develop erosive disease within 2 years... Skapenko A, et al. Presented at: ACR 2006 Meeting.

Tuesday Nov 14, 2006
Successful Anti-TNF Treatment Restores Regulatory T-Cell Function in RA
TNF inhibitor treatment can restore some of the lost T regulatory (suppressor) cell functioning in patients with RA, which might contribute to suppression of disease flares... Valencia X, et al. Presented at: ACR 2006 Meeting.

Thursday Nov 09, 2006
Novartis' Prexige Cleared for Approval in EU for Patients with Osteoarthritic Pain
Novartis announced that PrexigeR (lumiracoxib), an oral selective COX-2 inhibitor anti-inflammatory drug, has been cleared for approval in the European Union (EU) as a new treatment option for patients suffering from osteoarthritis (OA).

Tuesday Nov 07, 2006
Study IDs Predictors of Poor Outcome in Enthesitis-Related Arthritis
Enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA) patients tend to have worse outcomes than children  with other subtypes of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Predictors of poor outcome include family history of related diseases, the presence of HLA-DRB1*08, the absence of a protective HLA subtype, and persistently elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)…

Monday Nov 06, 2006
Risedronate Does Not Slow OA Progression or Decrease Pain But May Affect Cartilage Degradation
No effect on OA progression, signs, or symptoms seen in 2-year risedronate study...

Thursday Nov 02, 2006
Disappointing Results in Study of Stem Cells for Cartilage Repair
Hopes that adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) might be used to create chondrocytes for patching cartilage had a setback when researchers found that culturing them in the usual  chondrogenic medium did not produce tissues capable of becoming stable articular cartilage in vivo...

Monday Oct 30, 2006
Neurochem Submits Complete Response to US FDA Approvable Letter for Eprodisate (KIACTAâ„¢) for the Treatment of Amyloid A Amyloidosis
Neurochem (International) Limited (Neurochem), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Neurochem Inc, headquartered in Québec, Canada, announced that it has submitted a complete response to the US FDA approvable letter for eprodisate (1,3-propanedisulfonate, Kiacta™, formerly Fibrillex™), an oral investigational product candidate for the treatment of amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis.
 

Wednesday Oct 25, 2006
Fracture Risk Higher in RA Patients
RA patients are at an increased risk of osteoporotic fractures due to a combination of disease activity, low BMI,  and oral glucocorticoid use... van Staa, TP, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54:3104–3112.

Thursday Oct 19, 2006
Access to TNF-Blockers Severely Limited in UK
Access to TNF-inhibitor treatment is limited even for British RA patients who meet official guidelines for treatment, and is even more limited for patients with psoriatic arthritis or  ankylosing spondylitis ... Kay, LJ, et al. Rheumatology. 2006 Oct 11; [Epub ahead of print].

Thursday Oct 12, 2006
CardioVascular BioTherapeutics, Tufts Initiate hFGF-1 R&D for Osteoporosis

CardioVascular BioTherapeutics, Inc. announced that it has signed a sponsored research agreement with Tufts University School of Medicine to study the potential use of human acidic fibroblast growth factor-1 (hFGF-1), the active component of the Company's Cardio Vascu-Growâ„¢, to treat patients with osteoporosis...

Wednesday Oct 11, 2006
Experts Debate Effect of Menopause on SLE
Lupus improves over time regardless of menopausal status…Urowitz, M, et al. J Rheum. 2006 Sept 15; [Epub ahead of print].

Tuesday Oct 10, 2006
ASBMR Convenes International Task Force on Jaw Osteonecrosis, Issues Interim Guidelines for Osteoporosis Patients
Reacting to multiple reports of jaw osteonecrosis in patients treated with bisphosphonates, the ASBMR has convened an international task force to address this "emerging and urgent clinical problem" and has issued interim clinical recommendations... Shane E, et al. JBMR. 2006;21:1503-1505.

Friday Oct 06, 2006
Isotechnika's Calcineurin Inhibitor (ISA247) Receives Regulatory Green Light for Phase III Psoriasis Trials in Canada and Germany, Poland Is Pending
Isotechnika Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of novel immunosuppressive therapeutics for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and for use in the prevention of organ rejection in transplantation, announced that it has received a No Objection Letter from Health Canada and similar approval from the German Competent Authority to conduct a pivotal phase III clinical trial of its lead immunosuppressive, oral calcineurin inhibitor drug candidate, ISA247 (an isomeric cyclosporine A analog mixture), for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis...

Tuesday Oct 03, 2006
Genzyme's Synvisc Receives European Approval to Expand Label to Include the Treatment of OA Pain of the Ankle and Shoulder
Genzyme Corporation announced that it has received European approval to expand the CE mark labeling for SynviscR (hylan G-F 20) to include treatment of pain due to osteoarthritis (OA) of the ankle and shoulder. Genzyme expects to begin marketing Synvisc in the EU with its new label immediately.

Monday Oct 02, 2006
La Jolla Pharmaceutical to Expand Number of Clinical Trial Sites for Its Phase III International Trial of Riquent for the Treatment of Lupus Renal Disease
La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company (SAN DIEGO, Calif.), a biotechnology company developing therapeutics for antibody-mediated autoimmune diseases and inflammation, announced  progress and the expansion of its phase III trial of Riquent® (abetimus sodium, previously referred to as LJP 394) for the treatment of lupus renal disease, a leading cause of sickness and death in patients with lupus.

Monday Oct 02, 2006
Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis Seen in Leflunomide-Treated RA Patient
A case of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis associated with leflunomide treatment for rheumatoid arthritis has been reported... Wardwell NR, et al. Respirology. 2006;11:663-665.

Thursday Sep 28, 2006
Centocor's Remicade Approved by US FDA for Treatment of Chronic Severe Plaque Psoriasis
Centocor, Inc. (HORSHAM, Pa.), a wholly owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, announced that the US FDA has approved Remicade^R (infliximab) for the treatment of adult patients with chronic severe (ie, extensive and/or disabling) plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy and for whom other systemic therapies are medically less appropriate.

Tuesday Sep 19, 2006
Ibuprofen After Hip Replacement Does More Harm Than Good
The common practice of taking ibuprofen after total hip replacement reduces ectopic bone formation but has no significant effect on pain or function and doubles the risk of serious bleeding complications. Frasen M, et al. BMJ. 2006; 2 Aug 2006 [Epub ahead of print]

Monday Sep 18, 2006
Most Stomach Pain in Childhood Lupus Needs High-Dose Steroids, Not Laparotomy
Patients with childhood-onset lupus who present with abdominal pain likely are suffering flares of the underlying SLE and in most cases should receive high doses of corticosteroids—not be rushed to surgery for presumed appendicitis... Richer O, et al.  Ann Rheum Dis. 2006;3 July 2006; [Epub ahead of print]

Monday Sep 18, 2006
Novartis' Once-Yearly Reclast Investigational Infusion Osteoporosis Treatment Significantly Cuts Risk of Spine and Hip Fractures in Postmenopausal Women
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation announced that phase III data presented at the 28th Annual meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR), September 15–19, 2006, in Philadelphia, Pa, demonstrated that its investigational, once-yearly bisphosphonate 15-minute infusion treatment, Reclast® (zoledronic acid) 5 mg, was highly effective at reducing the incidence of bone fracture in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis across the most common fracture sites—hip, spine, and nonspine (with the exception of face, fingers, and toes)—with sustained effect over 3 years.

Thursday Sep 14, 2006
Gout Is an Independent Risk Factor for Acute MI
New data show that gout, the most common inflammatory arthritis in the US population, is the third highest risk factor for acute MI after smoking and family history... Krishnan E, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54:2688-2696.

Thursday Sep 14, 2006
Anthera Licenses Portfolio of Anti-Inflammatory Products from Lilly and Shionogi; Raises $36 Million in Venture Financing
Anthera Pharmaceuticals, a privately-held biopharmaceutical company developing drugs for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, announced that it has entered into a license agreement with Eli Lilly and Company and Shionogi & Co., Ltd., under which Anthera has obtained worldwide (except for Japan) development and commercialization rights to an entire platform of clinical and preclinical inhibitors of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) developed by Lilly and Shionogi as part of their collaboration.

Tuesday Sep 12, 2006
BioLineRx In-Licenses Novel Antisense Drug for the Treatment of Inflammatory Diseases
BioLineRx announced that it has signed an exclusive worldwide license agreement with B.G. Negev Technologies Ltd., the technology transfer company of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and Mor Research Applications, Ltd., the Technology Transfer Office of Clalit Health Services, for the development and commercialization of BL-3030, a novel antisense drug inhibiting the formation of the enzyme cPLA2 (cytosolic phospholipase A2)for the treatment of inflammatory diseases...

Thursday Sep 07, 2006
First Trimester NSAID Use Raises Risk of Birth Defects
Women who use NSAIDs during the first trimester of pregnancy are significantly more likely to bear children with congenital heart problems or other birth defects... Ofori B, et al. Birth Defects Research (Part B). 21 August 2006 [Epub ahead of print]

Thursday Sep 07, 2006
Overall Lupus Mortality Drops, but SLE Cardiovascular Death Rates Increase
As death rates continue to plummet in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), physicians need to treat cardiovascular symptoms aggressively while balancing the need for immune suppressant therapy against the risk of fatal infection... Bernatsky S, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54:2550-2557

Friday Sep 01, 2006
NMDA Receptor Antibodies Tied to Depression in Lupus, But Not to Cognitive Changes
Anti-NR2 antibodies, which target the NMDA receptor, are associated with depression in patients with lupus but not with cognitive dysfunction... Lapteva L, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54:2505-2514.

Thursday Aug 31, 2006
COX-2 Inhibitors Decrease Bone Density in Men, Improve It in Some Women
COX-2 inhibitors decrease bone density in men but increase it in postmenopausal women not taking estrogen, confirming the role of inflammation in postmenopausal bone loss... Richards JB, et al. Osteoporosis Int. 2006;17:1410-1419.

Monday Aug 28, 2006
TNF-α Plays a Key Role in Hormone-Related Osteoporosis
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is the critical cytokine mediating osteoclast formation and osteoporosis in several types of hormone-related osteoporosis, and TNF inhibitors may have a role to play in osteoporosis prevention and treatment. Hase H, Ando T, Eldeiry L, et al. Proc Nat Acad Sci USA. 2006;103:12849-12854.

Monday Aug 28, 2006
GlaxoSmithKline and ChemoCentryx Establish Worldwide Strategic Alliance to Develop Therapies for Inflammatory and Autoimmune Diseases; ChemoCentryx May Pocket More Than $1.5 Billion, Raises $17.7 Million in Series C Financing
GlaxoSmithKline and ChemoCentryx, Inc., a company focused on orally-administered, small-molecule therapeutics that target the chemokine and chemoattractant receptor systems, announced a worldwide multitarget strategic alliance to discover, develop, and market novel medicines targeting four chemokine and chemoattractant receptors for the treatment of a variety of inflammatory disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), multiple sclerosis (MS), acute macular degeneration, and asthma...

Thursday Aug 24, 2006
Merck's Investigational Selective COX-2 Inhibitor, ARCOXIA (Etoricoxib), for Arthritis and Pain Yields Mixed Clinical Results Against the NSAID Diclofenac
Merck & Co, Inc. announced preliminary analyses of the MEDAL (Multinational Etoricoxib and Diclofenac Arthritis Long-Term) program study as showing the rate of confirmed thrombotic cardiovascular (CV) events to be similar between the selective COX-2 inhibitor ARCOXIAâ„¢ (the planned successor to Vioxx) and diclofenac, the most widely prescribed traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).

Wednesday Aug 23, 2006
Niche Use Seen for SSZ in Inflammatory Back Pain
SSZ may be useful in patients with inflammatory back pain who do not have peripheral arthritis... Braun J, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2006;65:1147-1153

Tuesday Aug 22, 2006
Comarketers Procter & Gamble and sanofi-aventis Gain FDA Approval of Actonel for Broader Use in Men With Osteoporosis
Procter & Gamble and sanofi-aventis announced that the US FDA approved Actonel^R (risedronate sodium tablets) 35 mg for treatment to increase bone mass in men with osteoporosis.

Friday Aug 18, 2006
Neurochem Receives Approvable Letter from US FDA for Eprodisate (Kiactaâ„¢) for the Treatment of Amyloid A Amyloidosis
Neurochem, Inc. announced that it has received an Approvable Letter from the US FDA for eprodisate (1,3-propanedisulfonate, Kiactaâ„¢, formerly Fibrillexâ„¢), an oral investigational product candidate for the treatment of Amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis.

Friday Aug 18, 2006
OA Radiography Correlates Well with Knee Pain, New Study Shows
A new study of radiographic changes in patients with knee pain finds  a consistent association between pain severity, stiffness, and physical function and the presence of radiographic osteoarthritis. .... Duncan R, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2006 July 28; [Epub ahead of print]

Thursday Aug 17, 2006
Superagonist Trial Hit By Cytokine Storm
The six patients who nearly died in a phase I trial of an experimental anti-CD28 monoclonal antibody being developed as a rheumatoid arthritis treatment were injured by "cytokine storms" triggered by the new drug, and the head of the intensive care unit where their lives were saved thinks this demonstrates that a new approach to testing biologic agents is needed....Suntharalingam G, et al. N Engl J Med. 2006; August 14; [Epub ahead of print].

Thursday Aug 17, 2006
Early Diagnosis of AS: Dr. Rudwaleit Does the Math to Make It Easy
Diagnosing early ankylosing spondylitis in a patient with chronic back pain may be easier with a simple method based on standard tests and symptoms... Rudwaleit M, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2006;65:1251-1252.

Tuesday Aug 15, 2006
Centocor's REMICADE Receives Expanded Psoriatic Arthritis Indication
Centocor, Inc. announced that the US FDA has expanded marketing approval for Remicade® (infliximab) to inhibiting the progression of structural damage and improving physical function in patients with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA), in addition to reducing the signs and symptoms of active arthritis. 

Thursday Aug 10, 2006
HGS to Initiate Phase III Trials of LymphoStat-B in Lupus; to Receive $24 Million from GSK
Human Genome Sciences, Inc. announced its phase III clinical development plans for LymphoStat-Bâ„¢ (belimumab, a human monoclonal antibody that specifically inhibits the biological activity of B-lymphocyte stimulator [BLyS], a protein required for the development of B-lymphocyte cells into mature plasma B cells) in patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Thursday Aug 10, 2006
La Jolla Pharmaceutical Reactivates Enrollment in Phase III Study of Riquent in Lupus; Patients to Receive Higher Doses Than in Previous Studies
La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company announced that it has reactivated enrollment in its phase III 12-month treatment trial of RiquentR (abetimus sodium) for the treatment of lupus renal disease.

Thursday Aug 10, 2006
Michigan Researchers to Study ACL Injuries, Bone Bruises, in Knee OA
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are common in young athletes and often lead to later knee osteoarthritis (OA). A new prospective study will try to determine whether bone bruises add to that risk.

Thursday Aug 03, 2006
British Registry Data Show Safety of First-Trimester TNF Inhibitor Exposure, Safety of Later Use Still Unclear
Data from a British registry of TNF inhibitor users suggest that brief exposure to TNF inhibitors during the first trimester of pregnancy is not harmful either to women who inadvertently become pregnant while taking these drugs or to their babies, but raise questions about safety in later pregnancy... Hyrich KL, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54:2701-2702.

Tuesday Aug 01, 2006
Schering-Plough's REMICADE Receives EU Approval as Monotherapy for Treatment of Psoriatic Arthritis; Abbott's HUMIRA Receives FDA Approval for Treatment of Ankylosing Spondylitis
Schering-Plough Corporation announced that the European Commission approved the use of REMICADE® (infliximab) as monotherapy in the treatment of active and progressive psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in patients who show intolerance to methotrexate (MTX) or for whom MTX is contraindicated.

Monday Jul 31, 2006
Expert Scientific Group Proposes Recommendations to Improve Safety of First-In-Man Clinical Trials Following TeGenero's TGN 1412 Drug Trial
The Expert Scientific Group on phase I clinical trials, an independent committee established by the UK Secretary of State for Health to examine the safety and design of first-in-man clinical studies involving biologic molecules with novel mechanisms of action, new investigational agents with a highly species-specific action, and new drugs directed toward immune system targets, has published its interim report for public comment.

Friday Jul 28, 2006
Serono Initiates First Large-Scale European Pharmaco-Epidemiologic Study to Gather Additional Safety Data on RaptivaR in Psoriasis
Serono announced that it has initiated a prospective 7-year cohort, multi-national, multicenter study in more than 7000 adult patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who have been treated with RaptivaR (efalizumab).

Wednesday Jul 26, 2006
Can-Fite BioPharma Initiates Multi-National Phase IIb Study of A(3) Adenosine Receptor Agonist (CF101) in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Can-Fite BioPharma announced that it has initiated a phase IIb clinical study of CF101 (1-deoxy-1-[6-[[(3-iodophenyl)methyl]amino]-9H-purine-9-yl]-N-methyl-D-ribofuranuronamide), an A3AR agonist exclusively licensed from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Can-Fite's lead drug candidate for rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Wednesday Jul 26, 2006
GAO, HHS Inspector General Push FDA to Tighten Up on Postmarketing Studies
A report from the Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General adds to growing pressure for the US Food and Drug Administration to hold pharma companies accountable for the burgeoning number of promised—but never completed—postmarketing studies.

Thursday Jul 20, 2006
Bioengineered Cartilage Successfully Transplanted in Osteoarthritic Knees
Cells taken from areas of healthy cartilage can be grown on hyaluronic acid scaffolds and used to patch damaged knees, even joints that have already progressed to osteoarthritis....Hollander AP,  et al. Tissue Engineering 2006;12:1-12.

Wednesday Jul 19, 2006
Metabolic Syndrome Correlates With High Disease Activity in RA
Metabolic syndrome correlates with higher disease severity in RA. Karvounaris SA, et al. Ann Rheum Dis; published online June 22, 2006.

Monday Jul 17, 2006
LTKfarma Starts Operations With Lead Product for Autoimmune Diseases and Leukemia Already in Phase I/II, Names Advisory Board
LTKfarma, a biopharmaceutical company founded in March 2006 and focused on developing and marketing cell therapy products derived from modified T-cells to treat autoimmune diseases and leukemia announced its creation and the appointment of its advisory board....

Saturday Jun 24, 2006
Experts to Issue Psoriatic Arthritis Remission Guidelines
PsA remission now in our sights, say IMPACT trial investigators at the EULAR 2006 meeting... Kavanaugh A, et al. EULAR 2006 Meeting; June 21–24, 2006; Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Abstract OP0104.

Friday Jun 23, 2006
Tocilizumab Hot New Treatment for Rheumatoid Disorders
The interleukin-6 receptor blocker tocilizumab (Actemra®; Chugai/Roche) emerged at the 2006 EULAR meeting as one of the hottest new prospects for the treatment of rheumatoid disorders... Nishimoto N, et al. 2006 EULAR Meeting; June 21–24, 2006; Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Friday Jun 23, 2006
Kyphoplasty Reduces Osteoporotic Fracture Pain, but Does It Predispose to More Fractures?
Pharmacologic treatments for osteoporosis leave up to 50% of patients suffering long-term pain from fractures—perhaps unnecessarily... Kasperk C. Presented at: EULAR 2006; June 21–24, 2006; Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Abstract SP0033.

Thursday Jun 22, 2006
JRA Patients Do Better With Adalimumab, With or Without MTX
Phase III data show that adalimumab quickly and durably reduces disease flares and improves response rates in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis... Ruperto N; 2006 EULAR Meeting. Ann Rheum Dis. 2006;65(suppl):OP0007.

Monday Jun 19, 2006
EULAR Issues First Gout Guidelines in Advance of Annual Meeting
The EULAR Gout Task Force has issued a two-part set of evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis and management of gout... Zhang W, et al. Ann Rheum Dis [serial online]; 17 May 2006.

Wednesday Jun 14, 2006
Arthritis Gene Therapy Inches Forward
TNF inhibitors and other biologicals may command more attention, and stem cells may be more controversial, but arthritis gene therapy continues to move quietly ahead... Evans C, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54:1714-1729.

Monday Jun 12, 2006
Music Relieves Pain, Depression, and Disability in Chronic Pain Patients
An hour or two a day of self-selected music decreased pain, depression, and disability levels in patients with chronic nonmalignant pain... Siedliecki SL, Good M. J Adv Nurs. 2006;54:553-562.

Monday Jun 12, 2006
Low-Carb Diets Do Not Cheat Bones
Researchers had suspected that low-carbohydrate diets would increase bone turnover, compromise bone quality, and lead to osteoporosis, but a new study suggests that such diets do no such thing... Carter JD, et al. Osteoporos Int. In press.

Monday Jun 12, 2006
Regeneron's IL-1 Trap Receives Fast-Track Designation From US FDA for CIAS1-Associated Periodic Syndromes (CAPS)
Regeneron's IL-1 Trap has received fast-track designation from the US FDA for CIAS1-Associated Periodic Syndromes (CAPS), a family of rare autoinflammatory diseases...

Wednesday May 31, 2006
British Clinicians Challenge Restrictive TNF Inhibitor Guidelines
British guidelines for the use of TNF inhibitors are unduly restrictive and should be revised, practitioners charge... Deighton CM, et al. Rheumatology. 2006;45:649-652.

Wednesday May 31, 2006
Synta Initiates Phase II Clinical Trials in RA, CVID for Oral Inhibitor of IL-12 and IL-23
Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp announced the dosing of the first patients in its phase IIa clinical studies of apilimod mesylate in RA and CVID...

Wednesday May 24, 2006
ImmuPharma's IPP-201101 Lupus Drug Completes Phase I, Moves into Phase II Trial
ImmuPharma, based in London, UK, announced the successful completion of a placebo-controlled phase I clinical study of its new treatment for systemic lupus erythematosus...

Wednesday May 24, 2006
MacroGenics Raises $45M in Series C Financing to Support Phase II/III Trial of CD3 Monoclonal Diabetes Treatment 
MacroGenics, Inc, of Rockville, Maryland, announced that it has raised $45 million in a Series C financing round...

Wednesday May 17, 2006
Immunomedics and UCB Announce Collaboration and License Agreement for Epratuzumab for Autoimmune Diseases
Immunomedics, Inc, and UCB announced a development collaboration and license agreement for Immunomedics' lead product, epratuzumab...

Wednesday May 17, 2006
Lupus Worsens Atherosclerosis, Changes Plaques
Preclinical work in atherosclerosis-prone mice shows that adding a lupus-susceptible immune system greatly accelerates and worsens atherogenesis, which might help explain the accelerated atherosclerosis seen in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus... Stanic AK, et al. PNAS.

Thursday May 11, 2006
"Fossil Virus" Footprints Found in RA

Human endogenous K10 retroviruses, the residue of infections from generations past, are significantly more active in rheumatoid arthritis patients than in osteoarthritis patients or normal controls and might contribute to the development of autoimmune disease... Ejtehadi HD, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2006;65:612-616.

Monday May 01, 2006
Rituximab Shown to Be Effective Without Steroids in DANCER Study
Two doses of rituximab were shown to be equally effective when added to methotrexate in patients with DMARD-resistant RA, and glucocorticoids did not increase the benefit... Emery P, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54:1390-1400.

Wednesday Apr 26, 2006
Neurochem's Eprodisate (Fibrillexâ„¢) Granted Priority Review by US FDA for the Treatment of Amyloid A Amyloidosis
Neurochem International Ltd, of Lausanne, Switzerland, announced that its new drug application for eprodisate (1,3-propanedisulfonate, Fibrillexâ„¢) for the treatment of Amyloid A amyloidosis has been granted priority review by the FDA...

Wednesday Apr 26, 2006
Infliximab Suspected of Worsening Rare MTX Lung Problem
Interstitial pneumonitis occurs in less than 1% of patients treated with methotrexate (MTX), but a recent case report suggests that adding infliximab might increase lung toxicity risk in certain vulnerable patients...  Villeneuve E, et al. J Rheumatol. 2006 Apr 15; [Epub ahead of print]

Tuesday Apr 11, 2006
UK Regulatory Authority's Interim Report Concludes That the Serious AEs Caused by TeGenero's Investigational Superagonistic Anti-CD28 Antibody Were Triggered by an "Unpredicted Biological Action of the Drug in Humans"
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the UK regulatory authority responsible for clinical trial approval, found in its interim report that
the serious adverse events (AEs) (collectively labeled "cytokine release syndrome")...

Thursday Mar 30, 2006
Sodium Hyaluronate Effective in Chronic Shoulder Pain
Injections of sodium hyaluronate may be an effective and safe alternative to cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for the treatment of chronic shoulder pain... Blaine TA, et al. Presented at: 73rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; March 22–26, 2006; Chicago, Ill. Abstract 426.

Wednesday Mar 22, 2006
Infections Following Revision Arthroplasty Are Increasing

The rate of deep infections following revision hip and knee arthroplasty is increasing and will continue to rise unless action is taken... Kurtz S, et al. Presented at: 52nd Annual Meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society; March 18–22, 2006; Chicago, Ill. Abstract 235.

Monday Mar 20, 2006
Trial Halted of TeGenero's Study Drug TGN1412 (CD28-SuperMAB®) for Autoimmune Diseases and Leukemia; Six Hospitalized Following Serious Adverse Reactions 
TeGenero AG, of Würzburg, Germany, announced that six subjects participating in a clinical trial evaluating the safety of its study drug TGN1412...

Tuesday Mar 07, 2006
High, Prolonged Inflammatory Activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis Increases Lymphoma Risk
The severity of disease, not its treatments, is a risk factor for the development of malignant lymphomas in rheumatoid arthritis patients... Baecklund E, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54:692-701.

Thursday Mar 02, 2006
Simple Formula Helps Doctors Determine When Height Loss Signifies Osteoporosis
Historical height loss can help predict the likelihood of vertebral fractures and the need for spine radiographs... Siminoski K, et al. Osteoporos Int. 2006;17:290-296.

Wednesday Mar 01, 2006
Biosystems International Collaborates in Two Biomarker Programs
BioSystems International, of Evry, France, announced a collaborative agreement with AstraZeneca...

Thursday Feb 23, 2006
GAIT Results Show No Benefit of Glucosamine With Chondroitin for Treatment of Osteoarthritis
Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate alone or in combination did not reduce pain in the overall group of patients with knee osteoarthritis, although the supplements in combination may be effective in the subgroup of patients with moderate-to-severe pain... Clegg DO, et al. N Engl J Med. 2006;354:795-808.

Friday Feb 17, 2006
Chelsea Therapeutics Raises $21.5 Million in a Private Placement to Advance Its Antifolate Compound into Phase II trials for RA and Psoriasis
Chelsea Therapeutics International, Ltd, of Charlotte, NC, announced that it has completed a private placement of its common stock...

Friday Feb 17, 2006
Neurochem Seeks FDA Marketing Approval for Fibrillexâ„¢ for the Treatment of Amyloid A Amyloidosis
Neurochem International Limited announced the submission to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the final modules of its rolling NDA for eprodisate...

Tuesday Feb 14, 2006
Disease Activity and Severity Seen as Determinants in Starting Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha Blockers in Ankylosing Spondylitis Prior to Publication of ASAS Recommendations
Both disease activity and severity were determinants in starting tumor necrosis factor-alpha blockers in ankylosing spondylitis patients prior to the publication of the 2003 Assessment in AS (ASAS) international working group recommendations... Pham T, et al. Ann Rheum Dis [serial online]. February 7, 2006; doi:10.1136/ard.2005.042630

Thursday Feb 09, 2006
Low-Dose Prednisone Increases Risk of Pneumonia in RA Patients
New research showing a dose-related relationship between prednisone use and pneumonia risk in rheumatoid arthritis calls into question the commonly held belief that low-dose prednisone is safe... Wolfe F, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54:628-634.

Tuesday Feb 07, 2006
NSAIDs More Effective Than Acetaminophen in Patients with Moderate-to-Severe OA Pain
Acetaminophen reduces pain from hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA), but nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are more effective in patients with moderate to severe OA pain, although individual risk factors need to be considered when choosing a therapy. Towheed TE, et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006;(1):CD004257.

Monday Feb 06, 2006
Explicit Appropriateness Criteria Predicts Joint Replacement Success

Knee and hip arthroplasty patients who were considered appropriate candidates for joint replacement surgeries fared better than those who were considered inappropriate candidates, according to new research seeking to identify the best criteria for total knee and hip replacement... Quintana JM, et al. Arch Intern Med. 2006;166:220-226.

Wednesday Feb 01, 2006
Stem Cell Transplantation Shows Promise in Treatment-Resistant Lupus
Autologous nonmyeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplantation ameliorates disease activity, improves serologic markers, and stabilizes or reverses organ dysfunction in about half of patients with treatment-refractory systemic lupus erythematosus... Burt RK, et al. JAMA. 2006;295:527-535.

Monday Jan 30, 2006
Can-Fite BioPharma Submits Clinical Protocol to FDA for Multinational Phase IIb Study of A₃ Adenosine Receptor Agonist for RA
Can-Fite BioPharma, of Petach Tikva, Israel, announced that it has submitted a draft protocol to the US Food and Drug Administration...

Monday Jan 30, 2006
PharmaFrontiers Obtains Exclusive License to T-Cell Vaccine for RA
PharmaFrontiers Corp, of The Woodlands, Texas, announced that it has acquired an exclusive worldwide license...

Wednesday Jan 25, 2006
Insurance Coverage May Influence How TNF-Alpha Inhibitors Are Prescribed
A new observational study of the TNF-α inhibitors infliximab and etanercept has found that Medicare patients with RA are 30% more likely to receive infliximab than those covered by private insurance, findings that suggest that reimbursement policies may drive physicians' prescribing decisions independent of efficacy. However, the emergence of Medicare Part D prescription coverage may change prescribing behavior to favor self-injectable drugs... DeWitt EM, et al. Arch Intern Med. 2006;166:57-63.

Wednesday Jan 18, 2006
Illumina, Inc, Has Announced That the NIDDK Inflammatory Bowel Disease Genetics Consortium Will Perform a Genome-Wide Survey to Identify Genetic Variants That Increase Susceptibility to Crohn's Disease
Illumina, Inc, has announced that the National Institutes of Health National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) Inflammatory Bowel Disease Genetics Consortium...

Tuesday Jan 17, 2006
Timely ET May Help Stave Off Cartilage Degradation in Osteoarthritis
Estrogen therapy initiated immediately following ovariectomy staves off the cartilage loss known to accompany menopause... Oestergaard S, et al. Presented at: 10th World Congress of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI); December 8-11, 2005; Boston, Mass. Abstract P294.

Friday Jan 13, 2006
Increases in the Synthesis and Degradation of CTX-II Biomarkers May Predict OA Progression
Biomarkers of type II collagen synthesis and degradation may predict rapid progression among patients with knee osteoarthritis... Garnero P, et al. Presented at: 10th World Congress of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI); December  8-11, 2005; Boston, Mass. Abstract A6.

Thursday Jan 12, 2006
Three Months of Bosentan Therapy Improves Function in SSc-PAH Patients
Three Months of Bosentan Therapy Improves Function in SSc-PAH Patients

Wednesday Jan 11, 2006
Boniva® Injection Approved for Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
Roche and GlaxoSmithKline announced that the US Food and Drug Administration has approved Boniva® (ibandronate sodium) Injection...

Tuesday Jan 10, 2006
Active Shape Modeling May Help Predict Osteoarthritis Fast Progressors
A new pilot study shows that active shape modeling (ASM) can quantify the changes that occur in the femoral head during the course of osteoarthritis (OA), findings that suggest the diagnostic technique may help identify OA patients who are at high risk for rapid progression and require surgical intervention... Gregory JS, et al. Presented at: 10th World Congress of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI); December 8-11, 2005: Boston, Massachusetts. Abstract P254.

Monday Jan 09, 2006
Yoga Superior to Self-Care Book or Regular Exercise for Low Back Pain
Yoga is more effective than either instruction from a self-care book or a traditional exercise program at improving function and reducing medication use among patients with chronic low back pain. Sherman KJ, et al. Ann Intern Med. 2005;143:849-856.

Thursday Jan 05, 2006
New Study Suggests Raloxifene May Benefit Women with Knee Osteoarthritis
A recent study of women with knee osteoarthritis (OA) found that treatment with raloxifene resulted in a statistically significant decrease in the excretion of key markers of cartilage degradation, pointing to the potential curative effect of this agent and long-term improved outcomes for patients with knee OA... Daniluk S, et al. Presented at: 10th World Congress of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI); December 8–11, 2005; Boston, Mass. Abstract P67.

Wednesday Jan 04, 2006
Oral Calcitonin May Delay Onset of Joint Disease and Relieve Pain of OA
Although calcitonin is an established antiresorptive agent, new research suggests that it also has a role in chondroprotection and may help relieve symptoms accompanying joint disease... Sondergaard BC, et al. Presented at: 10th World Congress of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI); December 8–11, 2005; Boston, Mass. Abstract P133.

Wednesday Jan 04, 2006
Synta to Advance Clinical Development of IL-12/IL-23 Inhibitor for Crohn's Disease and RA
Synta Pharmaceuticals of Lexington, Massachusetts, announced that it will focus its clinical development efforts in 2006 on STA-5326, an oral interleukin (IL)-12/IL-23 inhibitor...

Tuesday Jan 03, 2006
Several Potential Biomarkers May Help Predict the Development of Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (OA) has been found to be associated with changes in the serum proteins implicated in matrix degradation, cellular activation, and inflammation—changes that can occur years before radiographic detection of the disease... Ling SM, et al. Presented at: 10th World Congress of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI); December 8–11, 2005; Boston, Mass. Abstract P51.

Thursday Dec 22, 2005
TolerRX Initiates Phase Ib Trials of Novel Antibody Therapies for Psoriasis and Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus
TolerRX, Inc, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, announced the initiation of a phase Ib study of the monoclonal antibody TRX4 in patients with moderate-to-severe...

Tuesday Dec 20, 2005
KineMed Develops Assays for In Vivo Measurements of Cell and Matrix Molecule Turnover in OA

KineMed, Inc, of Emeryville, California, has announced that its proprietary stable isotope labeling and ultrasensitive mass spectrometry techniques have enabled researchers to measure cell proliferation...

Tuesday Dec 20, 2005
Research Outlines Novel Role of IL-1, IGF-1 in Cartilage Damage of Arthritis
A new study by Dutch investigators suggests that interleukin-1 (IL-1)-induced suppression of cytokine signaling (SOCS) 3 renders chondrocytes insensitive to insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), a novel mechanism that appears to contribute to cartilage damage in arthritis...Van der Loo FAJ, et al. Presented at: 10th World Congress of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI); December 8–11, 2005; Boston, Mass.

Monday Dec 19, 2005
Oral Contraceptives Safe in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Taken together, two new prospective studies demonstrate that oral contraceptives (OCs) are safe in women with systemic lupus erythematosus and may represent a paradigm shift in the thinking and clinical practice of rheumatologists who historically have been reluctant to prescribe OCs and other hormones for these patients…Petri M, et al. N Engl J Med. 2005;353:2450-2461; Sánchez-Guerrero J, et al. N Engl J Med. 2005;353:2539-2549.

Tuesday Dec 13, 2005
Rheumatologists Need to Become More Familiar with New Pain Management Techniques
Rheumatologists need to increase their awareness of new pain management techniques and strategies, which not only focus on improved function and rehabilitation, but also on the underlying mechanisms at the molecular level... Fitzcharles MA, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2005;52:3685-3692.

Tuesday Dec 13, 2005
Research Points to the Importance of Diurnal Variations in Biomarkers for OA Assessment
A recent assessment of a cohort of patients with radiographic knee osteoarthritis uncovered substantial variations in the serum concentrations of key biomarkers of disease activity throughout the morning hours, changes that may affect clinical assessment of disease progression …. Kong SY, et al. Presented at: 10th World Congress of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI); December 8–11, 2005; Boston, Mass. Abstract A8.

Tuesday Nov 29, 2005
Leading Rheumatologists Sound Off on Limitations of GAIT Study
The initial results of the $14 million National Institutes of Health Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial failed to show any real benefit for patients with mild-to-moderate knee osteoarthritis, leaving many rheumatologists in a quandary about what they should tell patients regarding the use of these readily available supplements... Clegg DO, et al. Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; November 12–17, 2005; San Diego, Calif. Abstract 622.

Tuesday Nov 29, 2005
Anti-IL-6 Receptor Monoclonal Antibody Tocilizumab Biologically Active in Lupus
Tocilizumab, a humanized anti-interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor monoclonal antibody, may play a role in treating systemic lupus erythematosus…  Presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; November 12–17, 2005; San Diego, Calif. Abstract 1884.

Tuesday Nov 29, 2005
Galderma Laboratories Receives FDA Approval for Clobex® Spray for Psoriasis
Galderma Laboratories of Fort Worth, Texas, announced that the US Food and Drug Administration has granted marketing approval for Clobex® ...

Tuesday Nov 22, 2005
RA Patients Less Likely to Take Prophylactic Aspirin Despite Increased MI Risk
Despite a growing body of evidence suggesting that the inflammation that is a hallmark of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) increases a patient's risk of myocardial infarction or stroke, RA patients are less likely to take prophylactic aspirin than RA-free controls. These findings call attention to the need for rheumatologists to address this discrepancy in care... Presented at: the 69th Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; November 12–17, 2005; San Diego, Calif. Abstract 1904.

Wednesday Nov 16, 2005
REFLEX Trial Demonstrates Efficacy of Rituximab in RA Resistant to Anti-TNF Therapy
Rituximab, an anti-CD20+ B-cell-targeted monoclonal antibody with an established therapeutic record in the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, has shown statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who are refractory to anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) therapy... Presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; November 12–17, 2005; San Diego, Calif.

Thursday Oct 06, 2005
New Study Results Suggest That Two Courses of Parathyroid Hormone May Reduce Fracture Risk in Patients with Severe Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis patients who remain at high risk for fracture despite a course of parathyroid hormone (PTH) therapy may benefit from a second discrete course of PTH . . . Presented at: 27th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research; September 23–27, 2005; Nashville, Tenn. Presentation 1079.

Wednesday Oct 05, 2005
New Bone Biopsy Data Support Safety of Dual-Acting Strontium Ranelate for Osteoporosis 
A potentially dual-acting new osteoporosis medication, strontium ranelate, may safely decrease bone resorption while increasing bone formation, rebalancing bone turnover toward formation . . . Presented at: 27th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research; September 23–27, 2005; Nashville, Tenn. Abstract 1084.

Thursday Sep 29, 2005
Long-Term Bisphosphonate Therapy Remains an Unresolved Issue
Despite concerns about long-term bisphosphonate therapy resulting in the continued suppression of bone turnover and inhibition of normal repair and replacement of damaged bone, recent clinical trials suggest that treatment for up to 10 years is not harmful ... Presented at: 27th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research; September 23-25, 2005; Nashville, Tenn.

Wednesday Sep 28, 2005
Roche and GSK Tout Efficacy, Safety, and Convenience of Once-Monthly Boniva^R Osteoporosis Therapy at ASBMR Annual Meeting
Roche Pharmaceuticals and GlaxoSmithKline presented 4 posters (2 studies) at the 27^th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research...

Monday Sep 19, 2005
A Leading Rheumatologist Reflects on How Cyclooxygenase Became a Household Word
Just as it appeared that the dust from the great COX-2 controversies had begun to settle, a jury in Texas awarded a plaintiff a judgment against Merck & Co for one quarter of a billion dollars - indeed, for a death that, arguably, was not Vioxx-related.

Monday Sep 19, 2005
Abuse-Resistant Oxycodone Clears Trial
Remoxy, a new oxycodone compound, may change the tide of abuse by making injection or snorting difficult due to its sticky, high-viscosity formulation...

Thursday Sep 08, 2005
Cyclophosphamide/Stem Cell Transplantation Protocol Shows Promise for Refractory Autoimmune Diseases
Japanese researchers report promising phase I-II trial results showing that high-dose cyclophosphamide supported by autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation is feasible and may be effective in the treatment of severe and refractory autoimmune diseases such as systemic sclerosis and SLE...Tsukamoto H, et al. Ann Rheum Dis online August 26, 2005

Tuesday Sep 06, 2005
Aromatase Inhibitors Linked to Arthralgias
With increasing use of aromatase inhibitors as both a breast cancer treatment and preventive agent, rheumatologists should be aware of associated joint pain and musculoskeletal aching... Felson DT, Cummings SR. Arthritis Rheum. 2005;52:2594-2598.

Monday Aug 29, 2005
Short-Term Acupuncture Found to Relieve the Pain, Fatigue, and Anxiety of Fibromyalgia
Following the results of a study indicating that acupuncture has no effect on fibromyalgia (FM), new research suggests that short-term acupuncture does improve symptoms of pain, fatigue, and anxiety in FM patients. Presented at the 11th World Congress of the International Association for the Study of Pain in Sydney, Australia...

Friday Aug 19, 2005
Stem-Cell Transplantation Temporarily Improves Function and Health Status in RA Patients
New research helps delineate some of the benefits and potential limitations of high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation in patients with severe refractory rheumatoid arthritis. Teng YK, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2005;52:2272-2276.

Monday Aug 08, 2005
Velcura Receives $1.3 Million SBIR Grant for New Osteoporosis Drugs
Velcura Therapeutics®, Inc, a biotechnology company focused on developing drugs for bone diseases, received a $1.3 million Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Institute on Aging, of the National Institutes of Health, to use proteomics-based drug discovery in human osteoblasts to identify bone disease biomarkers and targets, and develop new drugs that stimulate bone formation.

Thursday Aug 04, 2005
Scientists Develop New Technique to Grow Bone In Vivo
In a development that one day may revolutionize spinal and knee-replacement surgery and the treatment of osteoporosis, researchers at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, have demonstrated for the first time that healthy new bone can be grown in one part of the body to repair bony defects at another location... Stevens MM, et al. In vivo engineering of organs: The bone bioreactor. Proc Natl Acad Sci. 2005; scheduled to appear online before print. Available at: http://www.pnas.org/.

Wednesday Aug 03, 2005
PREOSR parathyroid hormone NDA accepted for review by FDA
NPS Pharmaceuticals, Inc, of Salt Lake City, Utah, announced that the US Food and Drug Administration has accepted for review the company's new drug application (NDA) for PREOSR, a recombinant parathyroid hormone (PTH 1-84) for the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

Sunday Jul 31, 2005
UCB's Cimzia Demonstrates Positive Results in Phase III Trials for Crohn's Disease
USB Pharma, Inc, of Atlanta, Georgia, the biopharmaceutical subsidiary of international pharmaceutical...

Thursday Jul 21, 2005
Swedish Study Clarifies Connection Between TB, RA, and Use of TNF-α Inhibitors
Irrespective of whether TNF-α inhibitors were administered, Swedish patients with RA were at an increased risk of TB, and TB risk is further heightened by use of biologic agents... Askling J, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2005;52:1986-1992

Monday Jun 27, 2005
Short-Term Use of High Dose Steroids Does Not Increase Fracture Risk
With at least a one-year moratorium on steroid use, short-term, >e;15 mg/day dose of oral glucocorticoids does not increase the risk for osteoporosis or fracture, according the results of a new study... Presented at: 2nd Joint Meeting of the ECTS and the IBMS; June 25-29, 2005; Geneva, Switzerland

Friday Jun 10, 2005
Treatment of RA Reduces Cardiovascular Mortality
Analysis of a large RA database reveals that treatment with MTX or anti-TNF-α drugs causes a significant decrease in mortality, specifically in death due to cardiovascular and pulmonary disease... Presented at: Annual European Congress of Rheumatology of EULAR; June 8-11, 2005; Vienna, Austria.

Thursday Jun 09, 2005
A Conversation at EULAR: Dr. Ricard Cervera on Biologics and Pregnancy
The preeminent immunologist comments on the increasing use of TNF-α inhibitors and other biologic drugs-particularly among women, who bear the brunt of autoimmune disease-and the concern about their potential effects on pregnancy... Cervera R. Annual European Congress of Rheumatology of EULAR; June 8-11, 2005; Vienna, Austria.

Thursday Jun 09, 2005
Trials Examine Efficacy and Safety of B-cell Depletion in RA
Favorable results from the DANCER trial and other studies of rituximab suggest that this anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody may be a promising therapy, particularly for refractory patients... Emery P, et al. Presented at: Annual European Congress of Rheumatology of EULAR;  June 8-11, 2005; Vienna, Austria.

Friday Jun 03, 2005
Recombinant Version of Alpha-Fetoprotein May Hold Promise in RA and Other Autoimmune Diseases
As a Phase II trial begins, experts are cautiously optimistic that the experimental immunomodulating agent may be safer than existing RA treatments, and that the work may help explain why RA tends to remit during pregnancy...National Jewish Medical and Research Center [press release]; June 2, 2005.

Tuesday May 17, 2005
Study Suggests That Standardized Criteria Are Needed to Gauge Remission in RA
Rates of remission vary by criteria, but experts agree that new standards should include both clinical and radiographic measures. Mäkinen H, et al. J Rheumatol. 2005;32:796-800.

Tuesday May 03, 2005
African-American Women Have Lower Risk of Fractures than Caucasians Across All Levels of Bone Mineral Density
New data suggests the need for race specific normative databases to define osteoporosis...Cauley JA, et al. JAMA 2005;293:2102-2108.

Tuesday Apr 12, 2005
New Lupus Public Service Campaign Seeks to Raise Awareness and Speed Diagnosis
The Lupus Research Institute and other organizations hope the new campaign will alert patients to the often vague signs and symptoms of lupus earlier in the course of the disease...Lupus Research Institute [press release]. April 6, 2005.

Monday Apr 11, 2005
2-Methoxyestradiol Inhibits Inflammatory Cell Migration, Tissue, and Joint Damage in Animal Model of RA
The antiarthritic activity of 2-methoxyestradiol (2ME2) in preclinical studies was the focus of two separate presentations at the XXXV International Congress of Physiological Sciences held during the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists in San Diego, California.

Friday Apr 08, 2005
Thalidomide May Play a Role in Treatment of Refractory Radiculopathic Pain
Banned from use in the 1960s due to its teratogenic effects, thalidomide is being reexamined as a treatment for inflammatory and other types of disorders... Presented at the 24th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Pain Society; March 30-April 2, 2005; Boston, Massachusetts

Monday Apr 04, 2005
Analgesic Drug Pipeline, Though Relatively Dry, Poised for Revitalization
Despite a relative paucity in the current analgesic pipeline, a greater understanding of complex pain processes, pharmacogenetics, and new diagnostic tools and therapeutic targets, including assays and biomarkers, may open the doorway to more effective therapies, as well as better use of existing treatments...Presented at: 24th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Pain Society; March 30-April 2, 2005; Boston, Mass.

Thursday Mar 31, 2005
Opiate Abuse Increasing Among Pain Patients As Well As Nonmedical Users
Opiate abuse and diversion are on the rise and, despite commonly held beliefs, they are also common among chronic pain patients; buprenorphine may be a new tool to curb misuse...Presented at: 24th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Pain Society; March 30-April 2, 2005; Boston, Massachussetts.

Wednesday Mar 30, 2005
FDA Approves Monthly Ibandronate for Treatment and Prevention of Osteoporosis
The new formulation simplifies osteoporosis drug therapy and addresses problems of adherence among patients using bisphosphonates

Tuesday Mar 29, 2005
STAT6(B) Regulates Production of TNF-α and Other Inflammatory Cytokines
In a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,1 researchers from the Boston University School of Dental Medicine report the discovery and characterization of signal transducer and activator of transcription 6(B) [STAT6(B)] a novel transcription factor that may play a role in the management of cytokine-mediated diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Thursday Mar 24, 2005
Residencies in Orthopaedic Surgery and Other Specialties Remain Competitive in 2005 Match
The National Resident Matching Program reported a record year for the number of first-year residency positions and the number of positions filled.

Sunday Mar 20, 2005
Canada's NRC Funds ChondroGene to Support Development of OA Test
ChondroGene Limited of Toronto, Canada, has received financial support from the Canadian National Research Council's Industrial Research Assistance Program to further develop a blood-based test to stage osteoarthritis (OA) and to detect early, asymptomatic disease.

Friday Mar 18, 2005
Study Suggests Celiac Disease May Be More Prevalent Among Patients with Osteoporosis
New results confirm the value of treating osteoporotic patients with the disease and fuel the debate over the practicality of widespread screening... Stenson WF, et al. Arch Intern Med. 2005;165:393-399.

Monday Mar 07, 2005
Latest Trial Results for Biologics in Psoriatic Arthritis
Highlighted results from the American Academy of Dermatology meeting confirm the efficacy of anti-TNF therapy in treating psoriatic arthritis...63rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology, February18-22, 2005; New Orleans, La.

Thursday Mar 03, 2005
Internet Can Be a Less Than Reliable Source of Information on Minimally Invasive Hip Replacement Surgery
Online direct-to-consumer marketing and surgeon self-promotion can create false expectations for patients researching hip arthroplasty...The 72nd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; February 23-27, 2005; Washington, DC.

Thursday Mar 03, 2005
Internet Can Be a Less Than Reliable Source of Information on Minimally Invasive Hip Replacement Surgery
Online direct-to-consumer marketing and surgeon self-promotion can create false expectations for patients researching hip arthroplasty...The 72nd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; February 23-27, 2005; Washington, DC.

Saturday Feb 19, 2005
FDA Panel Splits 17 to 15 in Favor of Putting Rofecoxib Back on the Market
An FDA advisory panel recommends a strong black box warning for cardiovascular risk, dose restrictions, and strict guidelines to indications for use of Vioxx...US FDA Joint Meeting of the Arthritis Advisory Committee and the Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee; February 18, 2005.

Friday Feb 18, 2005
Despite Proven GI Benefits, Problems Predicted for Newest Coxibs Seeking FDA Approval
Two coxibs currently in the approval pipeline are likely to face substantial hurdles as an FDA advisory panel determines the fate of the COX-2 inhibitor class...US FDA Joint Meeting of the Arthritis Advisory Committee and the Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee; February 17, 2005.

Thursday Feb 17, 2005
Anti-CCP Antibodies Detected in Psoriatic Arthritis Patients
New research suggests that the specificity of this marker may lead to more precise diagnostic criteria for this broad spectrum disease...Vander Cruyssen B, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2005. [Epub ahead of print]

Thursday Feb 17, 2005
Pfizer, Merck & Co Grapple Over Cardiovascular Risk Associated With Coxibs
With the fate of a drug class on the line, all eyes are on an FDA advisory panel as they assess the data on coxibs and make recommendations that could lead to a labeling change or their withdrawal from the market... FDA joint meeting of the Arthritis Advisory Committee and the Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee; February 16, 2005.

Tuesday Feb 08, 2005
Rofecoxib but not other NSAIDs Increases Risk of Acute Myocardial Infarction Among Low-Risk Elderly Population
New research is consistent with the VIGOR and APPROVe trials, which led to drug's abrupt withdrawal, and suggests that cardiovascular side effects may not be a class effect & Levesque LE, et al. Ann Intern Med. 2005; 152:1-10.

Friday Feb 04, 2005
Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Face Higher Risk for Congestive Heart Failure and Unrecognized Coronary Heart Disease
Two population-based studies suggest that the heightened risk of heart disease may be attributed to the systemic inflammation that characterizes RA rather than traditional risk factors&Nicola PJ. Arthritis Rheum. 2005;52:412-420; Maradit-Kremers H. Arthritis Rheum. 2005;52:402-411.

Tuesday Jan 25, 2005
Three New Studies Further Elucidate Risks and Benefits of Coxibs
Newly published study findings from CRESCENT show that rofecoxib significantly increases 24-hour blood pressure after 6 weeks of therapy, while celecoxib and naproxen do not; two other published studies address COX-2 risks and benefits... Sowers JR, et al. Arch Intern Med. 2005;165:161-168.

Monday Jan 24, 2005
Continuing Concerns of the Cardiovascular Risks of the COX-2s
As the European Medicines Agency is set to determine the fate of COX-2s in the European community and the US Food and Drug Administration readies for a rare advisory meeting in mid-February, the journal Circulation has presented a meta-analysis of two clinical trials that provide further evidence that valdecoxib increases cardiovascular risk in CABG patients, including a study that provides a better understanding of the mechanisms in these agents that may accelerate the atherogenic process& Egan KM, et al. Circulation. 2005; 111:334-342.

Friday Jan 21, 2005
The Promise and Peril of the Next Generation of COX-2 Inhibitors
CIAOMed continues its series on the impact of the withdrawal of rofecoxib (VioxxR) from the worldwide market. The first installment (CIAOMed.org; November 9, 2004) discussed possible mechanisms of the cardiovascular (CV) risk observed with rofecoxib, and whether they apply to other selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors. The second (CIAOMed.org; December 10, 2004) examined the impact of recent disclosures about COX-2s and CV risk on patient management. This third and final installment focuses on the clues to CV risk profiles of the second-generation COX-2 inhibitors and the role these newer drugs will play if they are approved for marketing in the US& Brune K, Hinz B. Scand J Rheumatol. 2004;33:1-6.

Thursday Jan 20, 2005
New Bone Imaging Technology May Give DEXA a Run for Its Money on Earth -- and in Space
New ultrasound bone imaging device, which measures bone strength and rate of bone loss as well as bone density, could become the standard for osteoporosis assessment... National Space Biomedical Research Institute, Houston, Texas.

Tuesday Jan 18, 2005
One-Third of US Adults Including Growing Numbers of Arthritis Patients Turn to Complementary and Alternative Medicine
In response to continued use of these products, rheumatologists are urged to become more aware of nonprescription medications and drug-herb interactions...Tindle HA. Altern Ther Health Med. 2005;11:42-49.

Wednesday Dec 22, 2004
National Institutes of Health Halts Alzheimer's Prevention Trial Involving Aleve and Celebrex
Federal officials noted that patients taking the OTC formulation of naproxen had a 50% greater rate of cardiovascular (CV) events compared with placebo; those in the COX-2 inhibitor arm of the trial saw no increased CV risk...National Institutes of Health, December 20, 2004.

Tuesday Dec 21, 2004
Cancer-Prevention Trial Reveals Elevated Cardiovascular Risk Associated With Celebrex
National Cancer Institute study results, which showed a heightened cardiovascular risk versus placebo among patients taking the COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib at up to 4 times higher than recommended doses, runs counter to recent evidence that the agent may have cardioprotective properties in some arthritis patients... Kimmel SE, et al. Ann Intern Med. 2005;142(3).

Monday Dec 13, 2004
New Studies Confirm Efficacy and Tolerability of Once Daily Lumiracoxib for the Treatment of Osteoarthritis
New clinical trials data on the efficacy and tolerability of lumiracoxib (PrexigeR) provide evidence that the selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor taken 100 mg daily offers reduced pain intensity in the target knee compared to placebo while improving the functional status of patients' osteoarthritis of the knee...Lehmann R, et al. Presented at: The 9th World Congress of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International; December 2-5 2004; Chicago, Illinois.

Monday Dec 13, 2004
Clinical Decisions With COX-2s: Balancing GI Protection and Cardiovascular Risk
CIAOMed continues its series about the impact of the withdrawal of rofecoxib (VioxxR) from the worldwide market. The first installment (CIAOMed.org; November 9, 2004) discussed possible mechanisms of the cardiovascular (CV) risk observed with rofecoxib, and whether they apply to other cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors. This second installment examines the impact of recent disclosures on changes in the selection of appropriate candidates for COX-2 inhibitors, on the reemergence of traditional antiinflammatory agents such as nonselective nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for patients at risk for gastrointestinal complications, and on therapeutic decisions for those who require aspirin to maintain cardiovascular protection& Simon LS. Advanced Studies in Medicine. 2004;4:522-523.

Friday Dec 10, 2004
Occupational Risk Factors for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus May Include Mercury Exposure and Pesticide Mixing
Epidemiologic study indicates that occupational mercury exposure and some dental and agricultural work are significantly associated with a greater risk for developing SLE and that previously suspected occupations may not present this risk...Cooper GS, et al. J Rheumatol. 2004;31:1928-1933.

Tuesday Nov 23, 2004
Large National Survey Shows Importance of Anxiety Disorders in the Psychopathology of Pain Syndromes
Recent findings add to an emerging body of data suggesting that anxiety may have a stronger association with arthritis and other pain conditions than depression& McWilliams LA, et al. Pain. 2004;111:77-83.

Thursday Nov 18, 2004
Questionnaire Helps Screen for Risk of Opioid Misuse Among Chronic Pain Patients
Self-administered screening tool may increase physicians' comfort level with identifying long-term opioid candidates at low-risk for aberrant drug behavior, as well as those at higher risk...Butler SF, et al. Pain. 2004;112:65-75.

Thursday Nov 18, 2004
Mexican Ancestry May Be Associated With Earlier Onset of Damage in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Hispanic patients with SLE who are living in Texas may be predisposed to a shorter time to initial damage, which is known to predispose to the accrual of further damage&Toloza SMA, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2004;3177-3186.

Tuesday Nov 09, 2004
COX-2s, Pain Relief, and Cardiovascular Risk: Where Do We Go From Here?
In the first of a 3-part series, CIAOMed will examine possible underlying mechanisms that may be responsible for elevated cardiovascular risk in select COX-2 inhibitors and whether such explanations extend to all coxibs. Subsequent installments will examine how to manage patients in light of the new reports and the future of this frequently used drug class... Simon LS, Strand V. Cleve Clin J Med. 2004;71:849-856.

Thursday Nov 04, 2004
TNF-α Blocker Etanercept Reduces Daytime Sleepiness in Patients with Sleep Apnea
Pilot trial is reportedly the first to demonstrate that neutralizing tumor necrosis factor-α activity is associated with a significant reduction of daytime somnolence in obese patients with sleep apnea... Vgontzas AN, et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2004;89:4409-4413

Tuesday Nov 02, 2004
Patients' Readiness to Self-Manage Chronic Pain Associated With Improvement in Treatment Protocols and Coping Skills
Interventions to increase chronic pain patients' motivation is shown to increase patient engagement in pain treatment and contribute to improved long-term outcomes…Jensen MP, et al. Pain. 2004;111:84-95.

Monday Oct 25, 2004
Leflunomide-Methotrexate Combination Equivalent in Safety to Leflunomide Alone for RA
A five-year study involving over 5000 RA patients showed no increase in mortality or long-term serious adverse events... Ta KT, et al. Presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; October 20, 2004; San Antonio, Tex.

Monday Oct 25, 2004
Leflunomide-Methotrexate Combination Equivalent in Safety to Leflunomide Alone for RA

A five-year study involving over 5000 RA patients showed no increase in mortality or long-term serious adverse events... Ta KT, et al. Presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; October 20, 2004; San Antonio, Tex.

Friday Oct 22, 2004
Infliximab Therapy Markedly Improves Skin Symptoms in Psoriatic Arthritis
Independent of the arthritis response, clinicians should continue to use the anti-tumor necrosis factor agent infliximab for patients with active psoriatic arthritis because the drug markedly reduces skin symptoms... Mease P, et al. Presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; October 20, 2004; San Antonio, Tex.

Thursday Oct 21, 2004
Leflunomide-Methotrexate Combination Equivalent in Safety to Leflunomide Alone for RA
A five-year study involving over 5000 RA patients showed no increase in mortality or long-term serious adverse events... Ta KT, et al. Presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; October 20, 2004; San Antonio, Tex.

Thursday Oct 21, 2004
Researchers Outline Genetic and Environmental Triggers for Virulent Ankylosing Spondylitis

Genetic predisposition and a physically demanding job affect extent of disability that will accompany the inflammatory disease... Ward MM, et al. Presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; October 20, 2004; San Antonio, Tex.

Wednesday Oct 20, 2004
Awards Given to Key Investigators for Clinical Research; Community and Professional Service
The second awards session reflected the diversity of contributions rheumatologists make in scientific research and in their communities.

Tuesday Oct 19, 2004
Studies of TNF-Alpha Blockers in Rheumatoid Arthritis Focus on Understanding Safety Issues

A new postmarketing surveillance analysis shows that infliximab is safe at approved doses, and patients have no greater risk of infection than those taking methotrexate ... Yocum DE et al. Presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; October 19, 2004; San Antonio, Tex.

Monday Oct 18, 2004
You Were Right! The Weather Does Affect Joint Pain
A large-scale study correlates arthritis pain with weather data finding the effect of cooler weather a weak but significant factor in pain... McAlindon TE, Formica MK, Fletcher J, Schmid S. Presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; October 18, 2004; San Antonio, Tex. Abstract 596.

Monday Oct 18, 2004
Key Contributors to Rheumatology Acknowledged in ACR 2004 Awards
The opening plenary session acknowledged the recipients of the Presidential Gold Medal, the Distinguished Investigator Award, and the Distinguished Rheumatologist Award.

Monday Oct 18, 2004
Genomics Research Pioneer Foresees Breakthroughs, Challenges in Gene-Targeted Therapy
The Director of the Human Genome Research Institute urges rheumatology researchers to take advantage of new technology to identify genes involved in inflammatory autoimmune diseases…

Monday Oct 18, 2004
Study: Acupuncture Relieves Knee Pain
Acupuncture may provide significantly more relief of osteoarthritis knee pain than conventional interventions, according to new study…

Tuesday Oct 12, 2004
Long-Term Bisphosphonate Therapy Results in Continued Benefits and May Offer Potential for Drug Holiday
Risedronate therapy continued over a 7-year treatment interval might be beneficial and, for some patients, 1 year off therapy may be a reasonable option... Sorensen OH, Crawford GM, Mulder H, et al. Bone . 2003;32:120-126.

Tuesday Oct 12, 2004
Few Patients Undergo Screening or Receive Treatment for Glucocorticoid-induced Osteoporosis

Despite evidence of rapid bone loss associated with chronic oral steroid use, fewer than 25% of men and 50% of women undergo screening or receive treatment for glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis... Curtis JR, et al. J Bone Miner Res. 2004;19(suppl 1):S30. Abstract 1114.

Wednesday Sep 15, 2004
Advances in anti-TNF Therapy for RA

Two studies give insight regarding the time after RA onset to introduce anti-TNF therapy, and which doses to use to get an optimal response. (Baumgartner SW, et al. J Rheumatol. 2004;31:1532-1537; Stern R, Wolfe F. J Rheumatol. 2004;31:1538-1545.)

Tuesday Sep 14, 2004
Focus Groups Show RA Patients' Views of Anti-TNF Therapy

RA patients on anti-TNF therapy have differing expectations of therapy, depending on their background and self-education. They also may experience benefits beyond those typically measured in clinical trials. (Marshall NJ, et al. Rheumatology. 2004;43:1034-1038.)

Thursday Sep 02, 2004
B Lymphocyte Depletion Seen with Rituximab in Seropositive RA Patients
A treatment often used in B-cell non-Hodkin's lymphoma may have promise for methotrexate-refractory RA patients.

Monday Aug 30, 2004
SLE Researchers Encouraged to Use Biomarkers, Surrogate Markers as Study Endpoints; New Research Shows B-Cell Depletion to Have Role in SLE Therapy
(Schiffenbauer J, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2004;50:2415-2422; Looney RJ, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2004;50:2580-2589.)

Wednesday Aug 25, 2004
Eighth International Scleroderma Meeting Reflects Increased Interest

Research on etiology and potential therapeutic targets were highlights of the Eighth International Workshop on Scleroderma Research.

Wednesday Jul 28, 2004
Survey Raises Awareness About the Impact of Psoriasis on Relationships and Daily Life

The results of a national survey emphasize the impact of psoriasis on intimate relationships, social activities, and other aspects of daily life.