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Musculoskeletal Report
January 05, 2011
MSK Report Video Podcasts

Meeting Highlights

ISEMIR 2009: Video coverage of the Meeting
Miami, March 27, 2009
RWCS 2009: Video coverage of the Symposium
Maui, January 14-17, 2009
ACR 2008: News from the Annual Scientific Meeting
San Francisco, October 24-29, 2008
EULAR 2008: Coverage of the Congress
Paris, June 11-14, 2008
ISEMIR 2008: Video coverage of the Meeting
Chicago, April 10, 2008
AAOS 2008: News from the Annual Meeting
San Francisco, March 5-9, 2008

Affiliations

Arthritis Research
Lupus Research Institute - Letting Science Lead the Way to a Cure
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Related Articles Results

Found 111 result(s) FROM 1963 pages containing the term 'cellular activation'.

Tuesday Oct 13, 2009
Protalix Reports First Data on Generic Enbrel™
Plant cell fusion protein would be first “biosimilar” version of etanercept...

Tuesday Sep 08, 2009
RA Drug Array ARRY-162 Fails in Phase 2
A new rheumatoid drug from Array BioPharma that modulates the MEK pathway did not meet Phase 2 efficacy goals...

Wednesday Apr 22, 2009
After 80, Weightlifting Does Not Grow Muscles
Three months of weight lifting did not increase muscle mass in octogenarian women, although they were able to lift more weight...

Thursday Apr 02, 2009
Hurt Cartilage Harbors Potential OA Cure: Stem Cells
Harnessing the power of chondrogenic progenitor cells in diseased human cartilage may help researchers develop regenerative OA therapies...

Friday Mar 20, 2009
"Inner Space" Debris Triggers Joint Implant Failure
Immune reactions to metal debris from joint replacements triggers immune-mediated joint failure...

Wednesday Mar 04, 2009
Drop of Collagenase Provides Non-Surgical Fix for Dupuytren's Disease
A nonsurgical approach using a drop of collagenase to weaken the tissue cord that causes hand contractures in Dupuytren's disease is headed for FDA review...

Monday Feb 02, 2009
Rituximab B-Cell Depletion Stops JIA
Systemic onset JIA responded dramatically to B-cell depletion with rituximab...

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...

Friday Oct 10, 2008
Understanding RA Relapse After Pregnancy
New research sheds light on why rheumatoid arthritis (RA) tends to become reactivated in the postpartum period...

Wednesday Oct 08, 2008
Fractalkine May Be Key to Unleashed Immune Response in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Fractalkine (FKN) is emerging as a central player in the RA synovial inflammation, neovascularization, and joint destruction, and also might be link between joint damage and increased cardiovascular risk...

Tuesday Sep 30, 2008
Microparticles May Be Big Players in Systemic Scleroderma Disease Activity
Microparticles—small, membrane, coated vesicles—found in the blood of systemic scleroderma patients might not be inert debris…

Thursday Sep 18, 2008
GSK, Cellzome Announce Strategic Alliance to Identify Kinase-Targeted Drugs for Inflammatory Diseases
The alliance gives GSK access to Cellzome’s expertise in identifying and developing selective kinase inhibitors and its proprietary Kinobeads™ technology which, by screening compounds in a physiological setting, is designed to improve the predictability of these drug candidates’ performance in clinical testing...

Monday Aug 11, 2008
Hollis-Eden Initiates Phase I/II Clinical Trial With TRIOLEX™ (HE3286) in RA
Hollis-Eden's investigational, nonimmunosuppressive oral drug candidate Triolex™ (HE3286), a stabilized, synthetic analog of a naturally occurring molecule metabolized by the body, is being tested in patients diagnosed with RA who are receiving a stable dose of MTX...

Friday Aug 01, 2008
Tiny Mitochondria May Have Big Role in OA
Mitochondrial dysfunction appears to play a major role in knee OA, and mitochondrial DNA haplotypes partly determine whether OA will develop and its severity...

Friday Jul 11, 2008
MediGene Puts Phase I Trial Hold on Due to Patient Death in Study of RhuDex® in a New Formulation; Reports Positive Results With RhuDex in Phase IIa Pilot Trial in RA
One study participant suffered a heart problem some days after a scheduled treatment of RhuDex®, an orally administered candidate for the treatment of RA; it is currently unclear whether there is any correlation between the death and the drug administration...

Thursday Jul 10, 2008
Merck Serono Reports EMEA Confirms Positive Benefit-Risk Balance With Raptiva® for the Treatment of Psoriasis; European Commission Approved Product Information Update to Include Data on Up to 3 Years of Treatment
The European Commission has approved an update of the Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) for Raptiva® (efalizumab) in the treatment of moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis...

Friday Jun 20, 2008
Briobacept May Follow Rituximab as B-Cell Directed Treatment in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Briobacept, which targets B-cell activating factor (BAFF), can be given repeatedly to reduce CD19+CD27- B-cells in rheumatoid arthritis patients...

Thursday Jun 19, 2008
Baminercept shows good safety, substantial activity against RA in phase II data reported at EULAR
Baminercept alfa, a novel lymphotoxin β-receptor blocker, showed promising safety and efficacy in phase II data reported at EULAR...

Thursday May 08, 2008
Trubion Initiates Phase IIb Study of TRU-015, a CD20-directed Drug Candidate, Plus MTX for the Treatment of RA
Trubion's partner Wyeth Pharmaceuticals has commenced patient dosing in a multicenter, phase IIb clinical trial of TRU-015; previously reported data demonstrated TRU-015's ability to significantly improve RA signs and symptoms...

Tuesday Apr 15, 2008
Pain-Fatigue Link May Explain Why FM, CFS Are More Prevalent in Women
A biological link between pain and fatigue may help explain why more women than men are diagnosed with chronic pain and fatigue conditions like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome...

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…

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 21, 2008
Stress Triggers TNFα Production in RA Patients—Unless They Are Taking a TNF Inhibitor
Psychological stress triggers monocyte TNFα production in RA patients, and TNFα inhibitors protect against this stress response, which may cause the disease flares often reported by patients after stressful experiences...

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 Dec 21, 2007
Galapagos to Collaborate With Lilly in OA and to Receive Milestone Payment of €7.5 Million in OA Alliance with GSK
Galapagos NV, an integrated drug discovery company with preclinical programs in bone and joint diseases, announced that it has entered into a global collaboration agreement with Eli Lilly and Co to develop a novel class of medicines with potential to stimulate bone formation for the treatment of osteoarthritis...

Thursday Dec 13, 2007
MRI Bone Edema Shows Differences, Similarities in RA and OA
MRI bone edema predicts radiographic progression in RA and correlates with pain in OA...

Wednesday Nov 14, 2007
Trubion Reports Data From Phase IIb and Re-Treatment Studies With TRU-015 in RA Patients 
Trubion Pharmaceuticals Inc, a biopharmaceutical company creating a pipeline of product candidates to treat autoimmune disease and cancer, announced that TRU-015, its lead Small Modular ImmunoPharmaceutical drug candidate for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), provided statistically significant efficacy after a single infusion of 800 mg or 1600 mg compared with placebo for a 24-week period...

Friday Nov 09, 2007
Efalizumab Suspected of Triggering Arthritis in Subset of Psoriasis Patients
A small subset of patients treated with efalizumab for severe plaque psoriasis developed new-onset psoriatic arthritis...

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)...

Wednesday Sep 12, 2007
Trubion's Preliminary Analysis of Phase IIb Results With Immunotherapeutic TRU-015 Show Improvements in RA Signs and Symptoms Compared With Placebo
Trubion Pharmaceuticals, Inc, a biopharmaceutical company creating product candidates to treat autoimmune disease and cancer, announced preliminary analysis of results from a phase IIb randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter clinical trial of its TRU-015 immunotherapeutic product candidate for rheumatoid arthritis (RA)...

Tuesday Sep 11, 2007
Genizon BioSciences Reports Results of Genome-Wide Association Study in Quebec Founder Population and the Identification of Multiple Validated Novel Genes for Crohn's

Genizon BioSciences Inc, known for its genome-wide association studies of the Quebec Founder Population (QFP) in search of genes involved in complex diseases, announced the identification of four novel loci (3p21, 4p16.1, 17q11.1, and 17q22-q23) in Crohn's disease (CD)...

Tuesday Aug 28, 2007
Systematic Review Finds No Benefit From Selenium or Vitamins A, C in Arthritis; Raises Methodological Questions About Studies Showing Benefit From Vitamin E
Antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E, sometimes combined with selenium, have been widely touted as beneficial for the treatment of arthritis, but a systematic review finds little convincing evidence of efficacy...

Tuesday Aug 21, 2007
Immunomedics' Epratuzumab Targets Blood B-Cells and Modulates Activation and Proliferation of B-Cells in Lupus Patients
Immunomedics, Inc, a biopharmaceutical company focusing on developing monoclonal antibodies to treat autoimmune diseases and cancer, reported results from a study showing epratuzumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody that targets the CD22 antigen found on peripheral blood B-cells, inhibits the increased activation and proliferation of B-cells in patients suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) versus normal subjects...

Wednesday Aug 08, 2007
Bristol-Myers Squibb's Orencia® (abatacept) Supplemental Biologics License Application for JIA Accepted by US FDA for Filing and Review
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co announced that the US FDA has accepted the supplemental biologics license application (sBLA) for filing and review of Orencia® (abatacept) to treat pediatric patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) who have had an inadequate response to one or more disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) such as methotrexate (MTX) or tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists...

Tuesday Jul 31, 2007

Barrier Therapeutics Announces Positive Phase IIb Data With Oral Rambazoleâ„¢ in Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis


Barrier Therapeutics, Inc, announced positive results from its phase IIb dose-finding study of oral Rambazoleâ„¢, an investigational all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) metabolism blocking agent drug candidate, for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

Monday Jul 23, 2007
Elan, Biogen Idec to Appeal Negative Ruling on European Application for TysabriR for Crohn's

Elan Corporation, plc, and Biogen Idec announced that they have been informed by the European Medicines Agency that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use has adopted a negative opinion on the marketing application for the use of Tysabri® (natalizumab).

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

Friday Jul 06, 2007
Chi-Med Announces Positive Phase II Data for Botanical Compound, HMPL-004, in Ulcerative Colitis

Chi-Med, the Hutchison Whampoa-backed pharmaceutical and healthcare group, announced positive results for its phase II proof-of-concept study for HMPL-004 in mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis (UC).

Thursday Jul 05, 2007
Galapagos Expands OA Alliance With GSK
Galapagos NV, a drug-discovery company with clinical and preclinical programs in bone and joint diseases, announced that is has expanded its existing multiyear osteoarthritis (OA) alliance with GlaxoSmithKline and that it has issued 513,281 new shares for an investment of 4.4 million EUR (approximately 6 million USD) by GSK. In the expanded program, GSK will bring a drug-discovery program against a selected GSK target into the alliance, and Galapagos will advance a disease-modifying drug toward completion of clinical phase IIa (proof-of-concept phase), at which point GSK's global research and development branch will be responsible for the late-stage development, production, and marketing of the drug...

Wednesday May 30, 2007
Bristol-Myers Squibb Receives European Commission Approval for Orencia® in RA
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co (RUEIL-MALMAISON, France) announced that the European Commission has granted approval for Orencia® (abatacept), the first and only selective costimulation modulator of T-cell activation, for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)...

Tuesday May 22, 2007
Not Just Dust: Microparticles Suspected of Role in Lupus
Microparticles released from plasma membranes may be key to some of the autoimmune disturbances found in SLE patients...

Thursday May 03, 2007
FDA Approves Labeling Update for Orencia® (Abatacept) to "Inhibiting" Structural Joint Damage in Adults with Moderate-to-Severe RA
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company announced that the US FDA has approved an update to the product labeling for Orencia® (abatacept) regarding the progression of structural joint damage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients...

Wednesday May 02, 2007
Novosom Acquires Exclusive License Option for CD40-Targeted Antisense Inhibitors from Isis; Deal Strengthens Inflammation Therapeutic Development Program
Novosom AG announced that it has purchased an exclusive option from Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc (CARLSBAD, California) that, if exercised within 6 months, enables the company to acquire an exclusive, worldwide license to antisense inhibitors targeting the CD40 receptor for all indications...

Monday Apr 09, 2007
Callisto Announces Positive Data for Guanylate Cyclase Receptor Agonist in Animal Models of Ulcerative Colitis, and Intent to Advance Compound into Clinical Trials
Callisto Pharmaceuticals, Inc, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that focuses on cancer and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), announced data from two different standard animal models of experimental colitis confirming the efficacy of Guanilib (also known as SP304), a first-in-class orally bioavailable mimetic of uroguanylin currently in preclinical development for the treatment of IBD.

Thursday Mar 22, 2007
Clinquest Obtains from TNO Exclusive Worldwide Rights to Develop and Commercialize Protein for Inflammatory Disorders
Clinquest Group (AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands), a provider of product development services to the biopharmaceutical, medical device, diagnostics and medical data industries, and TNO (DELFT, The Netherlands), an independent research technology organization, announced the signing of a license and collaboration agreement that provides Clinquest with the exclusive rights to worldwide clinical development and commercialization of CQ-07001, a human protein shown to be a powerful agonist to toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) and a candidate for anti-inflammatory and tissue regeneration applications...

Wednesday Mar 21, 2007
BioMimetic Receives Orphan Drug Designation for rhPDGF-BB Treatment of Osteonecrosis of the Jaw
BioMimetic Therapeutics, Inc, an emerging leader in developing and commercializing bioactive drug-device combination drugs to heal musculoskeletal injuries and disease, including periodontal, orthopaedic, spine and sports injuries, announced that it has received orphan drug designation from the US FDA for its protein therapeutic, recombinant human platelet-derived growth factor (rhPDGF-BB)...

Thursday Mar 15, 2007
Cytochroma Completes Enrollment in Phase II Psoriasis Clinical Trial for CTA018, a Novel Vitamin D Analog
Cytochroma Inc, a privately-held, integrated specialty pharmaceutical company engaged in the development and commercialization of proprietary products related to vitamin D deficiency and novel vitamin D therapies to treat hyperproliferative disorders such as psoriasis and cancer, announced that it has completed the enrollment of patients in a phase II randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of CTA018, a cream base for chronic plaque psoriasis.

Tuesday Mar 13, 2007
Less Use of Diuretics, Earlier Hypouricemic Therapy Urged In Renal Transplant Patients At Risk for Recurrent Gout
Up to 23% of renal transplant recipients develop gout posttransplant but most are not getting hypouricemic therapy, even when they report recurrent gout attacks...

Thursday Feb 08, 2007
Trubion Completes Enrollment and Dosing of Patients in Phase IIb Clinical Trial of Immunotherapeutic TRU-015 for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Trubion Pharmaceuticals, Inc, a biopharmaceutical company creating a pipeline of product candidates to treat autoimmune disease and cancer, announced it has completed enrollment and dosing of patients in its phase IIb clinical trial of TRU-015, the company's lead Small Modular ImmunoPharmaceutical drug candidate for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)...

Thursday Feb 08, 2007
More Patient Input on Design Needed If RA Patients Are Actually to Wear Therapeutic Shoes
More attention to shape and design of shoes for feet of RA patients...

Thursday Feb 08, 2007
Steroids Add 60% to DMARD Efficacy in RA

Cochrane Collaboration reviewers say that steroids should be added to the list of drugs that can change the course of rheumatoid arthritis if used early enough...

Monday Jan 29, 2007
MediGene Initiates Phase IIa Clinical Trial of RhuDex®, an Oral Inhibitor of T-cell Activation, in RA
MediGene AG (MARTINSRIED/MUNICH, Germany), the publicly-held biotechnology company targeting autoimmune diseases and cancer announced the initiation of a phase IIa clinical trial of its drug candidate RhuDex®, a novel, orally bioavailable inhibitor of T-cell costimulation via the CD80-CD28 pathway, in patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Tuesday Jan 16, 2007
Preclinical Data Support Trial of Gleevec in SSc
The anticancer drug imatinib (Gleevec) can reduce production of extracellular matrix in SSc dermal fibroblasts, has prevented experimental dermal fibrosis in an animal model, and is seen as a "highly promising candidate" for treatment of SSc...

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.

Tuesday Jan 09, 2007
Small Study Highlights Role for Etanercept in Rheumatological Manifestations of HCV
Etanercept seems to be safe and effective for the treatment of rheumatological manifestations associated with hepatitis virus C, but more studies are needed before firm  conclusions can be drawn...

Thursday Jan 04, 2007
FivePrime Signs Collaborative Research and License Deal With Centocor to Discover Therapeutics to Treat OA and Other Diseases
FivePrime Therapeutics, Inc, a privately held protein therapeutics discovery and development company, announced the signing of a worldwide collaborative research and license agreement with Centocor, Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, to discover therapeutic products to treat osteoarthritis (OA) and pulmonary fibrosis.

Wednesday Jan 03, 2007
Nuvo Receives Approvable Letter from US FDA for Pennsaid, a Topical Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory for the Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Knee; Nuvo Licenses Canadian Pennsaid Plus Rights to Squire Pharmaceuticals, a Subsidiary of Paladin Labs
Nuvo Research Inc announced that it has received an approvable letter from the US FDA for Pennsaid® (1.5% w/w diclofenac sodium solution), a topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee.

Friday Dec 22, 2006
New Studies Suggest That Autoantibodies Damage Brain, Cause Cognitive Impairment in SLE Patients
The cognition and mood disturbances common in lupus patients might be due in part to autoantibodies that target the NMDA receptor and cause progressive damage of the amygdala and hippocampus...

Thursday Dec 21, 2006
ZymoGenetics and Serono Begin Phase II Clinical Trial with Atacicept (TACI-Ig) in RA
ZymoGenetics, Inc and Serono announced the start of a phase II clinical trial of their investigational therapeutic atacicept (formerly TACI-Ig) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, dose-finding study will investigate the efficacy of atacicept in patients with an inadequate disease response to prior treatment with TNF inhibitors.

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
Cytochroma Initiates Phase II Psoriasis Clinical Trial for CTA018, a Novel Vitamin D Analog
Cytochroma Inc, an integrated specialty pharmaceutical company engaged in the development and commercialization of proprietary products related to vitamin D deficiency and novel vitamin D therapies to treat hyperproliferative disorders such as psoriasis and cancer, has initiated the recruitment of patients with chronic plaque psoriasis for a phase II clinical trial with CTA018 cream.

Thursday Nov 16, 2006
Immunomedic, UCB Phase III Trial of Epratuzumab in Lupus Patients No Longer on Clinical Hold
Immunomedics, Inc (MORRIS Plains, New Jersey), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapeutic monoclonal antibodies, announced that their partner, UCB, SA (BRUSSELS, Belgium) has received notification from the US FDA that the clinical hold on existing trials with epratuzumab (a humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody targeting the B-cell specific surface antigen CD22) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been lifted.

Wednesday Nov 15, 2006
Once-Yearly Zoledronic Acid Injection Reduces Fracture Risk, Improves Bone Structure in Postmenopausal Women With Osteoporosis
Once-yearly injections of zoledronic acid 5 mg reduces fracture risk, improves bone mineral density, and improves bone structure in women with osteoporosis... Black DM, Recker RR. 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.

Wednesday Nov 08, 2006
CombinatoRx Syncretic Drug Candidate CRx-102 Achieves Phase II Trial Endpoints in Rheumatoid Arthritis
CombinatoRx, Incorporated announced positive preliminary results of its phase II clinical trial of CRx-102, an oral synergistic combination drug candidate containing the generic cardiovascular agent dipyridamole and an unconventionally low dose (3mg, below the effective human dose) of the generic steroid prednisolone, in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Wednesday Nov 01, 2006
Regeneron's Phase III Clincial Program for Interleukin-1 (IL-1) Trap, a Long Lasting IL-1 Inhibitor, Achieves Primary Endpoints in Studies with Patients Diagnosed with CAPS, a Spectrum of Rare Chronic Autoinflammatory Syndromes
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc, announced positive data from a phase III clinical program designed to provide two separate demonstrations of efficacy for the investigational drug Interleukin-1 (IL-1) Trap within a single group of patients suffering from CAPS (CIAS1-related Autoinflammatory Periodic Syndromes).

Tuesday Oct 10, 2006
Trubion Initiates Phase IIb Clinical Trial of CD20-Targeted TRU-015 for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Trubion Pharmaceuticals, Inc, a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing treatments for autoimmune diseases and cancer, announced it has initiated a phase IIb clinical trial of TRU-015, the company's lead Small Modular ImmunoPharmaceutical (SMIPâ„¢) CD20-targeted drug candidate for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) via B-cell depletion...

Wednesday Sep 27, 2006
UCB, Immunomedic Phase III of Epratuzumab in Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus on Clinical Hold
UCB, SA, licensing partner of Immunomedics, Inc. (Morris Plains, NJ), announced that it has voluntarily, temporarily suspended dosing in the phase III clinical studies of epratuzumab (humanized anti-CD22 antibody) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) because of end-stage manufacturing observations by UCB during a recent routine quality assurance audit of the Immunomedics facilities.

Thursday Sep 21, 2006
Avidia Initiates Clinical Trial of Avimerâ„¢ C326, an Inhibitor of Interleukin-6, for Crohn's Disease
vidia, Inc., a privately-held biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing a new class of small, assembled human therapeutic proteins called Avimersâ„¢ (from avidity multimers), announced that it has initiated dosing of the first patient for a phase I clinical trial of its Avimer drug candidate C326, an inhibitor of interleukin-6 (IL-6), for the treatment of Crohn's disease.

Thursday Sep 14, 2006
Imatinib Blocks Development of RA in Mouse Model
Imatinib (Gleevec), a drug that has revolutionized cancer treatment, also blocks the development of RA in a mouse model by inhibiting tyrosine kinases that cause joint inflammation and damage.... Paniagua RT, et al. J Clin Invest. 2006 Oct [Epub ahead of print].

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...

Tuesday Aug 29, 2006
Histogenics Raises $13.1 Million to Advance Its Cartilage and Orthopedic Tissue Regeneration Technologies
Histogenics Corporation announced that it has raised $13.1 million in Series A-1 financing to be used to advance NeoCart®, its lead investigational product, into phase II clinical trials...

Monday Aug 21, 2006
Osiris IPO Raises $38.5 Million to Advance Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapies
Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. announced that underwriters sold 3.5 million shares of its common stock at a price of $11.00 per share, achieving the lower end of the targeted share price for its initial public offering and raising $38.5 million.

Friday Aug 11, 2006
Fish Oil Reduces CV Risk Factors, NSAID Requirements in RA Patients
Two tablespoons of fish oil per day significantly improved some cardiovascular risk factors and reduced NSAID requirements in patients with rheumatoid arthritis... Cleland LG, et al. J Rheumatol. 2006 Aug 01; [Epub ahead of print]

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.

Friday Aug 04, 2006
Do Oral Contraceptives Protect Against RA Development?
Use of oral contraceptives may protect against the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), while smoking may increase the risk of developing the autoimmune disorder ... Bhatia, SS, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2006 July 25; [Epub ahead of print].

Thursday Jul 27, 2006
ZymoGenetics Report Positive Preliminary Findings from Atacicept (TACI-Ig) Phase Ib Studies in Patients with Lupus
ZymoGenetics, Inc, announced preliminary positive findings from two phase Ib clinical trials in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) treated with atacicept.

Tuesday Jul 25, 2006
Nuvo's Pennsaid® NDA Resubmission for the Treatment of Osteoporosis Accepted for Review by US FDA
Nuvo Research Inc announced that it has resubmitted its New Drug Application (NDA) for Pennsaid® (1.5% w/w diclofenac sodium solution), a topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) used for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee to the US FDA.

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
ZymoGenetics and Serono Obtain Positive Results from TACI-Ig Phase Ib Trial in RA
ZymoGenetics, Inc, and Serono announced results from an exploratory dose-escalating, single- and repeat-dose phase Ib clinical trial with TACI-Ig (atacicept) in 73 adult patients with active, moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Monday Jun 12, 2006
Galapagos and GSK Form Drug Discovery and Development Alliance in Osteoarthritis
Galapagos NV, of Mechelen, Belgium, and GlaxoSmithKline announced a drug discovery and development alliance in OA...

Wednesday May 17, 2006
Argos Licenses sCD83 Autoimmune Disorder Treatment Rights From Beckman Coulter

Argos Therapeutics, of Durham, NC, announced that Beckman Coulter, of Fullerton, California, has granted Argos an exclusive license for therapeutic use of the soluble protein CD83 (sCD83) for autoimmune disorders and transplant rejection...

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
Avidia Raises $43.8 Million in Series C Financing to Advance Its Lead Avimerâ„¢ Drugs for Inflammation and Autoimmune Diseases
Avidia, Inc, announced that it has raised $43.8 million in a Series C financing round...

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.

Tuesday May 16, 2006
TNF Inhibitors Raise Cancer, Infection Risk, but Are Still Best Bet for Many RA Patients
A new meta-analysis shows that RA patients treated with infliximab or adalimumab (in addition to methotrexate) had 3.3 times the risk of developing cancer and 2.2 times the risk of developing a serious infection compared to their counterparts taking placebo plus methotrexate, and patients should be advised to get vaccinations, be alert for symptoms of infection, and have regular cancer screenings... Bongartz T, et al. JAMA. 2006;295:2275-2285.

Monday May 08, 2006
Array BioPharma Initiates Phase I Clinical Trial of Its MEK Inhibitor for Inflammatory Disease
Array BioPharma Inc, of Boulder, Colorado, announced the initiation of a phase I clinical trial in the US for its proprietary small-molecule novel MEK inhibitor, ARRY-438162, for the treatment of inflammatory disease...

Thursday May 04, 2006
Adding Alefacept Increases MTX Response in Psoriatic Arthritis
Alefacept plus methotrexate significantly increased response rates in patients with psoriatic arthritis... Mease PJ, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54:1638-1645.

Wednesday May 03, 2006
FivePrime Inks Research and License Deal With Boehringer Ingelheim to Discover New Therapeutics to Treat RA and Other Diseases
FivePrime Therapeutics, Inc, of San Francisco, California, announced a 2-year collaborative research and license agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim...

Friday Apr 28, 2006
Leukocytes Extend Damage, Kill "Bystander" Chondrocytes in Areas Around Injured Cartilage
Damage to cartilage also kills chondrocytes far from the site of injury, and this distant damage is mediated by inflammatory leukocytes that adhere to ICAM-1 expressed by stressed but otherwise viable chondrocytes. Preventing the early flood of leukocytes into the injured joint or blocking leukocyte attachment to ICAM-1 might reduce long-term damage... Green DM, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54:1509-1517.

Friday Apr 28, 2006
Brief Pulse of Ultraviolet-A Light Provides Site-Specific Gene Therapy for Damaged Articular Cartilage
A brief pulse of ultraviolet-A light may currently be the safest way to provide site-specific gene therapy for damaged articular cartilage... Maloney MD, et al. J Bone Joint Surg. 2006;88:753-761.

Tuesday Mar 14, 2006
York Pharma Announces Positive Phase II Data for Topical Carbenoxolone in Psoriasis
York Pharma plc, of Hitchin, UK, announced that its lead vitamin A pathway inhibitor, carbenoxolone...

Monday Mar 06, 2006
Trubion Eligible to Receive Over $800 Million in Milestone Payments From Wyeth in Strategic Alliance to Co-develop and Commercialize Trubion's SMIPâ„¢ Technology for Inflammatory Disease and Cancer
Trubion Pharmaceuticals, Inc, of Seattle, Washington, and Wyeth of Madison, New Jersey, announced that they have formed a strategic alliance for the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel SMIPâ„¢ biologics...

Friday Feb 17, 2006
Calcium With Vitamin D Does Not Decrease Risk of Hip Fracture in Postmenopausal Women
Calcium with vitamin D does not decrease risk of hip fracture and only shows a modest benefit in bone density... Jackson RD, et al. New Engl J Med. 2006;354:669-683.

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.

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...

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.

Wednesday Nov 16, 2005
Chromos to Acquire Target Molecules Corporation and Its Anti-VLA-2 Product Candidate for Inflammatory Diseases; Complete a $6–10 Million Private Placement
Chromos Molecular Systems Inc of Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, has announced that it will acquire Target Molecules Corporation of San Diego, California, a privately held biotechnology company with two preclinical stage antibody product candidates, including TMC-2003

Monday Oct 24, 2005
Endogenous Opioids May Not Be Effective in Chronic Pain
Activating endogenous opioids may not be an effective way to treat chronic pain, according to an experimental study in male rats with chronic- and acute-induced arthritis. Li Z, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2005;52:3210-3219.

Friday Oct 07, 2005
Novel Population of T Cells Found to Produce IL-17; In Vivo Analysis Reveals Role of Cytokine in Inflammatory Disease
New research examining the production and function of the inflammatory cytokine interleukin 17 (IL-17) may pave the way for more effective ways to prevent and treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other autoimmune and inflammatory conditions . . . Nat Immunol [serial online]. October 2, 2005.

Monday Oct 03, 2005
Acologix's AC-100 Shows Positive Preclinical Activity for Bone and Dental Applications
Acologix, Inc, of Hayward, California, a privately held biopharmaceutical company targeting bone and kidney diseases, presented preclinical data...

Friday Sep 09, 2005
FDA's Advisory Committee Recommends Approval of Bristol-Myers Squibb's Orencia® for RA
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (Princeton, NJ) has announced that the Arthritis Advisory Committee of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)...

Wednesday Jul 27, 2005
Nastech Granted License to Develop RNAi Therapeutics Against TNF-α
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, has granted Nastech Pharmaceutical Company, Inc, of Bothell, Washington, an exclusive license to its InterfeRx intellectual property portfolio in order to discover, develop, and commercialize RNAi (RNA interference) therapeutics directed against tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), a regulatory protein associated with inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Monday Jun 13, 2005
Smokers Have More Active Rheumatoid Arthritis Than Nonsmokers, but Quitting May Help Reduce Disease Severity
New research presented at EULAR increases our understanding of how smoking impacts RA, and emphasizes the symptomatic benefits for those who stop...presented at: Annual European Congress of Rheumatology of EULAR; June 8-11, 2005; Vienna, Austria.

Thursday Jun 09, 2005
Study Helps Clarify Link Between RA and CVD
Il-6, rheumatoid factor, and chronic kidney disease predict endothelial dysfunction among RA patients and need to be suppressed to stave off atherosclerosis...Presented at: Annual European Congress of Rheumatology of EULAR; June 8-11, 2005; Vienna, Austria.

Tuesday May 17, 2005
Avidex Inhibitor of T Cell Costimulation Enters Phase I Clinical Trials
Avidex Ltd announced the start of Phase I clinical testing for RhuDexR, a small molecule, orally available, immunosuppressant and anti-inflammatory agent, for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Friday Apr 15, 2005
Small Interfering RNA Suppresses Inflammation in Mouse Model of Arthritis
Local administratipon of TNF-α-directed siRNA inhibits collagen-induced arthritis in mice, suggesting a potential treatment strategy for RA...Schiffelers, RM. Arthritis Rheum. 2005;52:1314-1318.

Friday Mar 11, 2005
Rapid Onset of Joint Failure in Mice Lacking Lubricin, the Main Lubricant in Synovial Fluid
A new study of mice lacking the PRG4 gene suggests that it is required to protect the cartilage surface and prevent synovial hyperplasia...Rhee DK, J Clin Invest. 2005; [Epub ahead of print].

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.