Related Articles Results

Tuesday Apr 06, 2010
Long-Term Methotrexate Use Does Not Reduce Relapse Rates for Juvenile Arthritis
Children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis do not have their relapse rates reduced by a longer treatment course with the drug methotrexate...

Friday Apr 02, 2010
Spotlight on Sjögren's Syndrome
As many as 4 million Americans are affected by the autoimmune disorder, but most suffer from symptoms for 3 or more years before receiving an accurate diagnosis...

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...

Thursday Mar 18, 2010
Metal Staples Carry Higher Risk of Infection than Traditional Stitches
Using metal staples to close wounds after joint surgery carries a higher risk of infection than traditional nylon sutures...

Thursday Mar 18, 2010
Knee Replacements May Improve Balance
Joint replacement may improve an elderly patient's balance and prevent falls...

Wednesday Mar 03, 2010
Patients Speak Out About the Pain of Fibromyalgia
Sometimes the best way to learn about a disease is to listen to the patients who suffer from it...

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 Feb 09, 2010
Minimally Invasive Hip Replacements Growing in Popularity
Orthopedic surgeons have developed techniques to make hip replacement operations less invasive, cutting down the length of time patients spend in the hospital and speeding up total recovery time...

Thursday Jan 28, 2010
Pain Pumps May Lead to Development of Chondrolysis
Hundreds of patients have developed the relatively rare ailment after the use of postsurgical pain pumps...

Wednesday Dec 02, 2009
OxyPharma's New RA Drug Shows Positive Phase II Results
Rabeximod, an orally-administered DMARD, showed promise as a new RA treatment during a 16-week study...

Tuesday Nov 24, 2009
Fatigue Is Valid Marker of RA Treatment Response
Single-item measures of fatigue are reliable and sensitive to change in RA patients taking TNF-blockers...

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

Wednesday Nov 11, 2009
Cooling RA Skin May Slightly Shift Doppler US
Cooling (but not warming) the skin has a modest effect on ultrasound Doppler measurements in RA...

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...

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...

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

Thursday Oct 01, 2009
MRI Can Show Joint Damage in Early Gout
For patients with gout but normal plain radiographs, MRI is more sensitive than ultrasound for detecting early gout, but what to do with that information is unclear...

Monday Sep 21, 2009
RA Gene Screening Almost Ready for Primetime
Genetic screening for rheumatoid arthritis risk is not yet clinically useful, but combining five confirmed RA loci may provide an accurate predictive test...

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...

Wednesday Sep 09, 2009
RA Joints Protected by More Fat, Less Adiponectin
Adiponectin is the link between fatness and lower joint damage in RA...

Thursday Sep 03, 2009
Depression, CRP Linked to Pain in RA
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients are twice as likely to be depressed as people without this autoimmune disease, and now new research links RA pain to both depression severity and levels of C-reactive protein...

Wednesday Aug 12, 2009
So You Think You Can Dance After Hip Replacement? You Can!
Orthopaedic surgeons are realizing that patients are never too young or too old to undergo total hip arthroplasty...

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

Tuesday Jul 28, 2009
Surprise: OA Not linked to Menopause
OA incidence rises with age in women, but not because of changes in female hormone levels...

Thursday Jul 23, 2009
Gene Therapy Cleared in RA Patient Death
The vector used in an RA gene therapy study did not cause the death of a patient who died during the trial...

Friday Jul 17, 2009
Excess Weight Speeds Up Osteoarthritis
Being overweight can cause a rapid deterioration of knee cartilage, leading to the development of osteoarthritis...

Thursday Jul 16, 2009
Hand BMD Predicts RA Mortality
Hand bone mineral density measured by digital X-ray radiogrammetry may help doctors better predict risk of joint damage and mortality among individuals with RA...

Monday Jul 13, 2009
I-A Clodronate, HA Try to Beat Placebo for Knee OA
Intra-articular clodronate is as good as hyaluronic acid for knee OA, but placebo might be as good as either...

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 Jul 01, 2009
Masitinib Pilot Study Shows Promise in DMARD-resistant RA
The first drug to target mast cells in RA shows promising early results in an uncontrolled phase 2a trial...

Wednesday Jun 24, 2009
RA Rituxan Response Seen Best with High Res US
High resolution grey-scale ultrasonography may help rheumatologists measure response to rituximab treatment in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients...

Monday Jun 22, 2009
IL-Blockade with Canakinumab Effective, Safe in JIA
Phase II data show that canakinumab (ACZ885) seems effective and safe in children with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis...

Monday Jun 22, 2009
EULAR Studies Show New Picture of B-Cell Depletion in RA
A group of studies reported at EULAR show that B-cell depletion is a relatively safe and effective treatment option for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)...

Thursday Jun 18, 2009
Biogen Gets Joint Control of Genentech Post-Rituxan Development
Genentech must stop three drug development projects but can continue lupus and RA ocrelizumab studies....

Wednesday Jun 17, 2009
EULAR Report Shows Tocilizumab Protects Joints in RA
Actemra^® maintained structure and function in a wide range of RA patients in the LITHE study, with response durations of 2 years in interim analyses...

Tuesday Jun 16, 2009
Golimumab for Psoriatic Arthritis Still Effective at 2 Years
2-Year GO-REVEAL data show durable PsA response to golimumab...

Tuesday Jun 16, 2009
Infliximab Still Going Strong At 7 Years for RA Treatment
Infliximab efficacy and safety are maintained through at least 7 years of use for rheumatoid arthritis treatment...

Thursday Jun 11, 2009
RA Bone Changes May Offer New Treatment Target
Osteoporosis and erosions appear loosely linked in some RA patients...

Friday May 22, 2009
Johnson & Johnson Wants Remicade Back
J&J is going to court to end its Remicade partnership with Schering-Plough due to a merger with Merck...

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...

Tuesday May 19, 2009
Improved Hip Implants Can Last 20 Years
Cement-less components for total hip replacements can last twice as long as previous versions, allowing younger patients to qualify as candidates for hip replacements...

Thursday May 14, 2009
Could a Urine Test Identify Early OA?
Separate sets of collagen degradation markers can differentiate very early knee OA from knee pain that is not due to OA...

Wednesday May 13, 2009
Persistent Sore Ankle Might Be Damaged Tendon
Physicians should consider peroneal tendon injury in patients with refractory lateral ankle pain...

Thursday Apr 30, 2009
Minimally Invasive Knee Replacement? Sometimes.
Minimally invasive knee arthroplasty may be appropriate for select patients when performed by an experienced surgeon...

Friday Apr 24, 2009
Knee Laxity Tied to Menstrual Cycle
Female athletes are 2 to 8 times more likely to injure their ACL ligaments than men, and 3 new studies say that knee joint laxity related to the menstrual cycle is to blame...

Thursday Apr 23, 2009
Merck Inks Deal with Galapagos in Inflammatory Diseases
Merck and Galapagos have signed a multi-year agreement for discovery and development of new drugs for inflammatory disease...

Tuesday Apr 21, 2009
Lupus Damage at 10 Years Predicts Mortality
More than half of all lupus patients accrue damage within 10 years of their diagnosis, and these patients are at greater risk for death as a result...

Wednesday Apr 15, 2009
Reconstruction Recommended for Some Shoulder Separations
Experts differ on which type III shoulder separations need surgery...

Monday Apr 06, 2009
Gene May Explain Women's Heightened Lupus Risk
A gene on the X chromosome may be linked to lupus, explaining why women are much more likely to develop the disease than men...

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...

Monday Mar 30, 2009
Hyaluronic Acid Not Useful in Hip OA
A single injection of hyaluronic acid was no better than placebo for hip OA...

Thursday Mar 26, 2009
Firefly Protein Lights Up Lupus Imaging
Bioluminescent imaging of NF-kB pinpoints inflamed sites long before symptoms appear in a mouse model of lupus and is likely to speed development of treatments for early disease...

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

Monday Mar 16, 2009
Chondrolysis Seen With Local Anesthetic After Shoulder Surgery
Local anesthetic infused into the shoulder joint after arthroscopy can destroy shoulder cartilage...

Wednesday Mar 11, 2009
Biomarkers Are Red Flag for Rheumatoid Arthritis Risk
A soluble TNF receptor begins to increase many years before RA becomes clinically symptomatic and might make a useful screening tool to identify those at risk...

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...

Tuesday Mar 03, 2009
Tiny Arthroscopic Procedure Patches Up Arthritic Thumb
The most common type of hand arthritis, OA of the thumb, can be successfully repaired using an arthroscopic approach to insert a collagen patch into the carpo-metacarpal space...

Wednesday Feb 25, 2009
Obesity “A Musculoskeletal Nightmare” for Joint Replacement
Obesity increases complication rates, and the super-obese should lose weight before having hip or knee replacement...

Wednesday Feb 18, 2009
Ustekinumab Reduces Psoriatic Arthritis Pain, Clears Lesions
Ustekinumab (CNTO 1275), a new monoclonal antibody that blocks interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-23 (IL-23), may help thwart the pain, swelling and lesions of psoriatic arthritis...

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...

Wednesday Feb 11, 2009
Cementless Hip Replacements: Still Sturdy After 20 Years
Hip replacements done with cementless metal cups can last up to 20 years after revision arthroplasty and even longer when used for primary hip arthroplasty...

Tuesday Feb 10, 2009
Each Osteoporotic Fracture Ups Death Risk
Women and men age 60 years or older who sustain a low-trauma osteoporotic fracture are at an increased risk of dying during the following 5 to 10 years...

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...

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

Friday Jan 23, 2009
Shoulder Pain Imaging: Arthrography Not Always Needed
Arthrography adds important information to 3-T conventional MRI only in a subset of shoulder pain cases...

Thursday Jan 22, 2009
Rheumatoid Arthritis Hits Women Harder
Women are more likely than men to suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, and experience the disease more severely...

Thursday Jan 15, 2009
Parkinson's Disease Puts Bones, Joints at Risk
The symptoms of Parkinson’s disease—tremors, rigidity in the joints, and balance problems—can lead to reduced bone mass and a greater risk of falls, resulting in heightened numbers of bone fractures and joint injuries…

Wednesday Jan 14, 2009
Wrist MRI Lets Many Avoid Arthroscopy
3-T MRI of the wrist effectively detects wrist ligament tears and may help patients avoid unnecessary 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...

Tuesday Jan 06, 2009
Forget Knee OA Glucosamine, Orthotics—Lose Weight, AAOS Says
New knee arthritis guidelines from the premier American orthopaedics society say that glucosamine and/or chondroitin, custom-made shoe foot orthotics, and needle lavage are basically useless for the treatment of knee OA, but losing weight helps...

Wednesday Dec 17, 2008
Early RA Shows as MRI Hand Tenosynovitis
MRI readily detects early arthritis as flexor tenosynovitis...

Friday Dec 12, 2008
Cartilage Repair Moving from Bench to Bedside
Mosiacplasty may soon be the method of choice for orthopaedic surgeons treating small focal defects in cartilage, but stem cell-based cartilage repair is also moving stealthily down the pike...

Tuesday Dec 09, 2008
OA Imaging Explains Subchondral Cysts, Bone Marrow Edema
New OA imaging studies support the bony contusion theory of subchondral cyst formation and show that bone marrow edema in the medial tibia, but not other sites, is a good marker for OA severity...

Thursday Dec 04, 2008
RA Improving Due to Better Management, Not New Drugs
Better monitoring and more aggressive use of old drugs, especially methotrexate, have contributed more to recent improvements in RA outcomes in Spain than the arrival of new drugs such as TNF inhibitors...

Monday Nov 24, 2008
New OA Topicals Ease Pain, Protect Stomach
New topical NSAID formulations relieve OA pain without the GI problems associated with oral NSAIDs...

Friday Nov 21, 2008
EntreMed Reports Antiangiogenic Role of 2ME2 Demonstrated in RA Models
Preclinical results for 2ME2 (Panzem^® or 2-methoxyestradiol) in rheumatoid arthritis demonstrated that 2ME2 involutes rat collagen-induced arthritis and suppresses synovial VEGF and bFGF gene expression...

Thursday Nov 20, 2008
FDA Says Bisphosphonates Do Not Cause Atrial Fibrillation
The FDA has concluded that there is no causal link between the use of bisphosphonates and atrial fibrillation...

Tuesday Nov 18, 2008
Phosphagenics’ Transdermal Diclofenac Enters Phase I Clinical Trial
The trial will compare the bioavailability and penetration of the topically applied Voltaren^® gel (1% diclofenac sodium topical gel, Novartis), and Phosphagenics’ TPM/diclofenac (at 1% and 2% diclofenac concentrations) for the targeted delivery of the NSAID diclofenac...

Tuesday Nov 18, 2008
Centocor's Golimumab Gives Durable Skin, Joint Relief in Psoriatic Arthritis, ACR Studies Say
More than half of active psoriatic arthritis patients receiving subcutaneous injections of 50 mg or 100 mg of golimumab (CNTO 148) every 4 weeks showed improvements that lasted through 1 year in the joint and skin symptoms...

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...

Wednesday Nov 12, 2008
Pegloticase Offers Hope to Patients With Worst Types of Gout
Pegloticase (Puricase^®, Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) performed well in two Phase III studies...

Wednesday Nov 12, 2008
Novartis’ ACZ885 Phase III Data Show Rapid, Sustained Clinical Remission in Children and Adults with CAPS, a Group of Rare, Potentially Life-Threatening Autoinflammatory Diseases
Novartis also announced that preliminary results of a phase I/II study in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis showed that most patients treated with ACZ885 achieved substantial clinical improvement within 15 days...

Friday Nov 07, 2008
Studies Confirm, Extend Uses of MRI in Spondyloarthropathies
Severe romanus lesions in patients with back pain who are younger than 51 are very specific for spondyloarthropathy, and an MRI of just the sacroiliac joint is generally enough to diagnose nonradiographic axial SpA, regardless of the location of the back pain...

Wednesday Nov 05, 2008
Study Establishes Safety of Long-Term Juvenile Arthritis Treatments
Three-year data reported at ACR show that long-term etanercept, with or without MTX, is safe and effective in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis...

Monday Nov 03, 2008
Tanezumab Reduces Moderate-Severe OA Pain in Phase II Trial
The nerve-growth-factor blocker tanezumab given once every 8 weeks significantly reduced knee OA pain in a phase 2 trial...

Wednesday Oct 29, 2008
Rheumatoid Arthritis Rising in Women
The incidence of rheumatoid arthritis among women fell during the second half of the 20th century, but is now on the rise in the US…

Tuesday Oct 28, 2008
Rheumatology Experts Say Stopping Smoking May Cut RA Pain, Disease Activity
Researchers at two major medical meetings are highlighting the role smoking plays in chronic pain and disease activity in RA...

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...

Monday Oct 27, 2008
Tai Chi Rx for Knee OA
Tai chi may help treat pain and physical impairment among patients with severe knee osteoarthritis…

Monday Oct 13, 2008
Unclear How Much Pounding New Hips, Knees Can Take
1 in 75 knee or hip replacement patients must have their artificial joint replaced within 3 years of their first surgery...

Thursday Oct 09, 2008
Rheumatologists Usually on Target With Intra-Articular Injections, Even Without Ultrasound
New research shows that blind intra-articular injections (IAIs) in rheumatoid arthritis patients, done without ultrasound guidance, are accurate when performed by a trained rheumatologist. Blind injections into the ankle are the most unreliable, at 77% accuracy...

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 Oct 07, 2008
Discovery Of New Genes Linked To Gout
Two new genes have been identified and associated with increased risk of elevated uric acid levels in the blood, which can lead to gout…

Friday Oct 03, 2008
Occupational Therapy May Help OA Patients Get Moving
Occupational therapy may help get patients with knee and hip osteoarthritis (OA) lead more active lives…

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...

Wednesday Oct 01, 2008
Glucosamine/Chondroitin Stumbles Again in GAIT II Study of Knee OA Progression
2-year data from the GAIT trial show no significant effect of glucosamine with or without chondroitin sulfate on progression of joint damage...

Tuesday Sep 23, 2008
Out of Joint
A unique application of MRI technology may be able to provide a non-invasive early diagnosis of osteoarthritis...

Monday Sep 22, 2008
Body Fat Increases CRP in Women With RA, May Lead to Wrong Diagnosis of Persistent Synovitis
High levels of adipose tissue, especially in the midsection, are associated with high CRP levels in women with RA. Elevated CRP levels in overweight patients might not be an indication that more aggressive RA treatment is needed...

Thursday Sep 18, 2008
Consumer Ads for Medical Devices Subject of Senate Panel
A Senate committee is holding a hearing on consumer-directed promotions of medical devices such as artificial knees and heart stents after reports have claimed such promotions can mislead patients and influence them to have unnecessary surgeries…

Wednesday Sep 17, 2008
Experts Warn the Meniscal Damage Seen on MRI Should Not Drive Knee Surgery Decisions in Middle-Aged, Elderly Persons
Most middle-aged and elderly persons who have meniscal damage that can be seen on MRI have asymptomatic knees, and even in those with symptoms, the pain might not be related to the meniscus...

Monday Sep 15, 2008
ACR REF Clinical and Translational Research Grants Target Better Ways to Monitor Response to Arthritis Care, Genetics, Heart and Bone Health in RA Patients
Six major grants from the ACR Research and Education Foundation show the growing importance of finding better ways to monitor response to (often expensive) RA care, decoding the genetic underpinnings of arthritis, and protecting arthritis patients’ hearts and bones in long-term care...

Monday Sep 15, 2008
Study Rules Against Arthroscopy for Most Knee OA Cases
Arthroscopy is not effective for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA), but an editorialist urges clinicians not to throw out the baby with the bathwater as arthroscopy can—and does—help knee OA patients in whom a coexisting knee problem such as a meniscal tear or a loose piece of cartilage is causing the majority of their symptoms…

Thursday Sep 11, 2008
Almost Half of Adults Will Develop Knee Osteoarthritis by 85
Men and women who are obese during middle age are at the greatest risk for this painful condition…

Thursday Sep 11, 2008
Total Ankle Replacements are Coming Into their Own—Finally
Total ankle replacements are expected to soon rival hip and knee replacements in design, function, and durability. Airbags and seatbelts contribute to growing demand…

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…

Wednesday Sep 10, 2008
Arcalyst^® (rilonacept) Reduced Gout Flares by 81% in a Phase II Study Initiating Urate-Lowering Therapy
Based upon these results, a phase III clinical development program will be initiated early in 2009 with Arcalyst in the prevention of gout flares in patients initiating urate-lowering drug therapy...

Tuesday Sep 09, 2008
Can-Fite Reports that Seikagaku Corp, Exclusive Licensee of CF101 in Japan, is to Initiate Phase I Trial in Japan to Treat RA; Can-Fite to Receive $1 Million USD
CF101, Can-Fite’s lead compound, is an oral drug that has been successfully used in animal models and human phase IIa RA trials to test the concept of targeting A(3)AR for the treatment of inflammatory diseases...

Monday Sep 08, 2008
ACR Research and Education Foundation Grants Point to New Arthritis Research
New REF grants target RA immunotherapy, inflammation, bone erosions, PAD inhibition...

Thursday Sep 04, 2008
Omeros Enters Into Agreement With Affitech for Anti-inflammatory Therapeutics, Awaits Phase III Clinical Trial Results for Agent
Omeros Corp and Affitech AS have entered into an agreement for the discovery and development of fully human antibodies for Omeros’ MASP-2, which mediates activation of the complement system via the lectin pathway...

Thursday Sep 04, 2008
Scientists Discover How Osteoarthritis Destroys Cartilage
New discovery may lead to preventive treatment for osteoarthritis…

Tuesday Sep 02, 2008
Naproxcinod Moves Ahead in Pivotal Phase III Study in Osteoarthritis
The next generation of COX inhibitors is likely to include the nitric oxide-donating CINODs, the first of which (naproxcinod) is in phase III trials...

Friday Aug 29, 2008
Ligaments Tie Together OA Pathology
Ligaments are emerging as the key to understanding why osteoarthritis develops in nontraumatized joints...

Thursday Aug 28, 2008
Experts Urge More Attention to Vitamin D in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Vitamin D not only helps prevent steroid-induced osteoporosis in rheumatoid arthritis but might also help reduce falls and modulate disease activity...

Tuesday Aug 26, 2008
Review Discourages Use of Amitriptyline in Fibromyalgia, but May Not Be the Last Word
A review of studies of the tricyclic antidepressant amitriptyline (Elavil) for fibromyalgia was generally discouraging, but questions have been raised about the quality of studies included…

Tuesday Aug 26, 2008
After Fits and Starts, New Hope for Psoriasis Patients
Psoriasis patients are finally finding some relief with a new wave of drug treatments known as biologics…

Friday Aug 22, 2008
While Olympians Chase Medals, Chicken Collagen Advances as RA Immunotherapy
Inducing oral tolerance with chicken type II collagen (CCII) may help alleviate the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with fewer side effects than methotrexate (MTX), Chinese researchers say…

Thursday Aug 21, 2008
Mesoblast Reports Stem Cells Regrow Knee Cartilage in Postmenopausal Ewes With OA; Repair Nonhealing Bones in Humans
Mesoblast, a regenerative medicine company developing treatments for orthopaedic conditions, announced successful preclinical trial results showing that its proprietary adult stem cells regenerated and regrew damaged knee cartilage...

Tuesday Aug 19, 2008
A Quirky Athletic Tape Gets Its Olympic Moment
Kinesio athletic tape has played a prominent role at this summer's Olympic Games in Beijing, with many athletes swearing by its ability to relieve pain and promote healing of injured muscles...

Monday Aug 18, 2008
Power Doppler Ultrasound Measures Response to TNF-blockers in RA
Power doppler ultrasonographic monitoring may help measure response to TNF-blockers as well as predict X-ray progression in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients…

Thursday Aug 14, 2008
Postmenopausal Women With Breast Cancer Face Joint Issues
Breast cancer patients who are postmenopausal and are receiving endocrine treatment may be at increased risk of joint issues such as arthritis…

Wednesday Aug 13, 2008
OA Increase Among Women Seems Due to Obesity As Well As Aging
OA is becoming more prevalent as the population of elderly increases, but Canadian researchers report that age alone does not account for the increased incidence of OA among women...

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...

Thursday Aug 07, 2008
Heart Risks Rise With Revision or Bilateral Joint Arthroplasty
Patients who undergo revision or bilateral joint arthroplasty are at significantly higher increased risk for heart attack or heart failure than patients who undergo their first replacement of a single knee or hip…

Thursday Aug 07, 2008
Doctors Seeing More Arthritis In Active Boomers
Early treatment can prevent long-term pain in active baby boomers that are now beginning to suffer from painful arthritis…

Wednesday Aug 06, 2008
Statins May Help Bone Healing
Statins may improve bone healing, according to new research in an animal model of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1)…

Friday Aug 01, 2008
Roche Reports US FDA Advisory Committee Recommends Approval of Actemra^®; if Approved, Would Be First IL-6 Inhibitor for the Treatment of RA
Hoffmann-La Roche announced that the Arthritis Advisory Committee of the US FDA recommended approval of Actemra^® (tocilizumab), a novel interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor-inhibiting humanized monoclonal antibody...

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...

Tuesday Jul 29, 2008
CEL-SCI Announces Positive Preclinical Results Using CEL-2000, a Chimeric Peptide with Bi-Functional Properties, as RA Vaccine
CEL-SCI Corp announced the discovery of CEL-2000, a novel peptide vaccine for the treatment of RA. Tests showed that CEL-2000 is equivalent or possibly superior to Enbrel^® in slowing disease progression and lessening symptoms in mice...

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...

Friday Jul 25, 2008
New High-Resolution Device Aids Finger MRI in Scleroderma
High-resolution magnetic resonance angiography (micro-MRA) can readily measure vascular disease of fingers in systemic sclerosis…

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…

Friday Jul 18, 2008
Even Really Old Joints Benefit From Replacement in Osteoarthritis
Patients ≥75 do as well as those 65 to 74 after joint replacement for severe hip or knee OA...

Thursday Jul 17, 2008
Drugs to Build Bones May Weaken Them
A small group of people taking bisphosphonates for 5 or more years to treat osteoporosis have had their bones weakened by the drugs that are intended to promote better bone health…

Thursday Jul 17, 2008
New OA-Associated Gene Points to β-Tubulin Connection
Variants in a gene called DVWA may increase the risk of developing osteoarthritis...

Thursday Jul 17, 2008
Classification and Categorization of Psoriatic Arthritis
Researchers in the field of psoriatic arthritis are working to overhaul Moll and Wright’s criteria for the classification and categorization of the disease…

Tuesday Jul 08, 2008
Return to Sport After Hip Resurfacing or Total Hip Arthroplasty
Patients are able to engage in more intense sports activities after undergoing hip resurfacing than after total hip arthroplasty…

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 Jun 26, 2008
Otsuka, UCB to Codevelop and Copromote Cimzia^® in Japan for Crohn's Disease
UCB and Otsuka Pharmaceuticals have agreed to copromote UCB's anti-TNFα drug Cimzia^® for the treatment of Crohn's Disease in Japan, the second largest pharmaceutical market in the world...

Tuesday Jun 24, 2008
Steroids Injections May Prevent Rheumatoid Arthrits From Developing
A 3-week course of IM steroids may stop the progression of early rheumatoid arthritis…

Friday Jun 20, 2008
Longitudinal MRI Study Confirms that Rituximab Stops Progression in RA, Suggests Some Regression
Imaging studies done 1 year after rituximab (RTX) treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) confirm that progression of joint damage was stopped, and suggest that there may even have been some regression of established damage...

Thursday Jun 19, 2008
Infliximab (Remicade^®) Plus Combination DMARD Therapy for Early RA Increases Remission Rate, Slows Radiological Progression
Adding infliximab (INF) to effective combination DMARD therapy for patients with early RA both increases the remission and slows progression of joint damage...

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...

Wednesday Jun 18, 2008
Anti-TNF Gene Therapy Appears Safe, May Reduce Pain, Swelling in RA Joints
Researchers report that transferring a TNF-antagonist gene into the joint is safe, may reduce pain and swelling in patients with inflammatory arthritis...

Wednesday Jun 11, 2008
Meniscal Damage, Joint Malalignment Predict Cartilage Loss in Knee OA
New research confirms that meniscal damage and joint alignment predict cartilage loss in knee osteoarthritis (OA)…

Tuesday Jun 10, 2008
B-Cell Subset May Identify RA Patients at Risk for Relapse After Rituximab
A memory B-cell subset that could be readily monitored from peripheral blood samples might help identify RA patients who need early re-treatment with rituximab to prevent RA relapse...

Monday Jun 02, 2008
Targeted Genetics Reports Positive Interim Findings From Inflammatory Arthritis Phase I/II Trial of tgAAC94; Demonstrates Safety and Preliminary Efficacy, Supports Further Clinical Development
Targeted Genetics Corp's study is designed to assess the safety and potential effect of multiple doses of tgAAC94 administered directly to affected joints of inflammatory arthritis subjects with or without concurrent use of systemic TNF antagonist therapies...

Thursday May 29, 2008
Cane Use May Cut Progression of Knee Osteoarthritis
Using the support of a cane may reduce the risk of the progression of knee osteoarthritis…

Wednesday May 28, 2008
Smokers With RA Use More DMARDs, Biologics, but Don't Have Worse Joint Damage
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who smoke are likely to use more DMARDs or biologics than nonsmokers and are less likely to achieve ACR response, but they do not have worse joint damage...

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
Ankle Osteoarthritis is Associated With Knee Osteoarthritis
Knee OA can change the alignment of the entire extremity, leading to degenerative changes in the ankle joint and the development of ankle OA...

Monday May 19, 2008
ChemoCentryx Initiates Phase I Clinical Trial of CCR1 Inhibitor CCX354 for Inflammatory Disease; Milestone Triggers $10 Million Payment From Partner GSK
ChemoCentryx announced the initiation of a phase I clinical trial of CCX354, an orally-available, novel small molecule compound designed to specifically target the CCR1 chemokine receptor associated with inflammatory diseases...

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
More than Half of US Diabetics Have Arthritis
Arthritis afflicts more than half of diabetes patients in the US, making exercise difficult…

Friday May 09, 2008
Treating Early RA With Intensive Step-Up Triple-DMARDs is as Good Starting 3 At Once—Perhaps as Effective as Biologics
Intensive triple therapy with conventional DMARDs in early active RA is as effective as a step-up regimen and is as effective as when all 3 drugs are started together, and both approaches can achieve response rates as high as those seen with biologics…

Thursday May 08, 2008
More Evidence that Walking Barefoot is Better for Arthritic Knees Than Wearing Shoes
Shoes increase stress on knee joints compared with walking barefoot and might contribute to progression of osteoarthritis...

Tuesday May 06, 2008
Lexicon's RA Drug Candidate LX2931, Targeting S1P Lyase, Shows Positive Results in Phase 1a Clinical Trial; Dose-Dependent, Rapid-Onset Decrease in Circulating Lymphocytes Observed
Positive results were obtained from Lexicon's phase 1a clinical trial of LX2931, an orally-delivered, small molecule targeting sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) lyase for the treatment of RA and other autoimmune conditions...

Tuesday May 06, 2008
Younger People Getting Joint Replacements to Restore Active Lifestyles
A better understanding of joint mechanisms and new technologies allow younger adults to relieve pain with joint replacements…

Thursday Apr 24, 2008
UCB’s Cimzia^® Approved in the US for the Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Crohn's Disease; Dosed Subcutaneously Every 4 Weeks 
The US FDA has approved Cimzia^® (certolizumab pegol), indicated for reducing signs and symptoms of Crohn’s disease and maintaining clinical response in adult patients with moderate-to-severe active disease who have an inadequate response to conventional therapy... 

Thursday Apr 24, 2008
S. pyogenes-Linked New-Onset Childhood Arthritis Differs in Severity, Duration, from Other Types
Up to 35% of children with new-onset arthritis test positive for S. pyogenes and have a different disease course than children with other forms of inflammatory arthritis; they do not need routine cardiology follow-up, according to a population-based study...

Wednesday Apr 23, 2008
GSK, Regulus Form Alliance to Develop microRNA-Targeted Therapeutics to Treat RA and IBD; Deal Potentially Valued at Over $600 Million  
GlaxoSmithKline and Regulus Therapeutics LLC announced a worldwide strategic alliance to discover, develop, and market novel microRNA(miRNA)-targeted therapeutics to treat inflammatory diseases such as RA and inflammatory bowel disease...

Friday Apr 18, 2008
Roche’s Actemra^® (tocilizumab) Approved in Japan to Treat Patients With RA; Represents First Approval for Actemra in RA Worldwide
Roche partner company Chugai Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd has received approval in Japan for Actemra^® (tocilizumab) 200 mg for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, making Japan the first market to gain access to Actemra for the treatment of RA...

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…

Tuesday Apr 15, 2008
Novartis Says Aclasta Better at Boosting Bone Mass
Novartis reported study results indicating a once-yearly infusion of Aclasta is more effective than risedronate at increasing bone mass in patients taking steroids...

Thursday Apr 10, 2008
The Days of Using Potent Anticoagulants to Prevent Pulmonary Embolism After Joint Arthroplasty May Be Numbered
Experts say that the routine use of potent anticoagulants to stave off pulmonary embolism after joint arthroplasty should be stopped because these blood thinners may actually increase mortality…

Wednesday Apr 09, 2008
TMJ in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis May Require MRI for Diagnosis, But it Can Heal
TMJ damage in children with JIA can resolve with actual healing of the damaged condyles once the underlying disease is controlled, but MRI might be required to diagnosis the jaw disorder...

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...

Tuesday Apr 01, 2008
Analysis of Contrast-Enhanced MRI of Hands and Wrists in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis
Contrast-enhanced MRI demonstrates bone marrow edema, erosions, tendon and soft tissue disease, and median nerve involvement in patients with PsA of the hands and wrists…

Monday Mar 31, 2008
CRP, Anti-CCP, Ultrasound Can Predict Which RA Patients Need Early, Aggressive Treatment to Stave Off Rapid Progression
RA patients with rapidly progressing disease will benefit most from aggressive early treatment with biologics and can be identified using markers such as CRP, anti-CCP, and ultrasound evidence of joint erosion...

Friday Mar 28, 2008
Regeneron’s Arcalyst™ (rilonacept), First and Only FDA-Approved Treatment for Cryopyrin-Associated Periodic Syndromes (CAPS); Now Available in the US
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc announced that Arcalyst™ (rilonacept) injection for subcutaneous use is now available by prescription in the US for the treatment of cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes (CAPS)...

Thursday Mar 27, 2008
High Dose IVIg May Prevent Miscarriage in Lupus Pregnancies
High dose intravenous immunoglubulin (IVIg) therapy may help pregnant women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who have a history of recurrent miscarriage improve their disease and pregnancy outcomes…

Tuesday Mar 25, 2008
New Rheumatoid Arthritis Drug Works for Adults, Children
Two new studies have found tocilizumab to be effective in relieving the symptoms of RA in adults and children…

Tuesday Mar 18, 2008
Genzyme Reports That US Data From Large Outcome Studies of Carticel^® Support Long-Term Clinical Duration; Prior Marrow Stimulation Techniques May Compromise Treatment With Carticel
Genzyme announced that almost 90% of patients treated with Carticel who experienced improvement in knee function at an early follow-up, sustained their improvement for almost 10 years...

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...

Wednesday Mar 12, 2008
Docs Seen as Clueless About What’s Afoot in RA
About 10% of RA patients develop some type of potentially debilitating foot ulceration, but management approaches are lagging behind…

Monday Mar 10, 2008
AAOS Panel Presents Hip Resurfacing as Option for Some Younger Patients
Hip resurfacing may emerge as a preferred option for some younger arthritis patients...

Monday Mar 10, 2008
AAOS Debates Gender-Specific Joint Implants
Joint replacement experts say implant should fit body, not gender...

Friday Mar 07, 2008
Sports Doctors Urge for More Injury Prevention in Women Athletes
Sex matters in sports injuries, and more attention to special problems of women athletes is needed...

Wednesday Mar 05, 2008
AAOS Researchers Provide New Look at Steroid-Induced Osteonecrosis
Steroid-induced osteonecrosis tends to resolve in SLE patients when the underlying disease is under control but tends to advance after SLE recurs. In patients with steroid-induced hip osteonecrosis, shoulder damage is likely to result in joint collapse within 15 years if not treated...

Friday Feb 29, 2008
HLA-DRB1 Linked to Premature Cardiac Death in Some RA Patients
Patients with inflammatory polyarthritis (IP) who have the shared epitope (SE) alleles of the HLA-DRB1 gene are at increased risk of premature death from cardiovascular disease (CVD) and may benefit from treatment to improve their CV profile...

Thursday Feb 28, 2008
Tysabri May Cause Liver Damage, Health Officials Say
Tysabri, the MS drug recently approved for treatment of Crohn’s disease, can cause liver damage in as few as 6 days…

Thursday Feb 28, 2008
Acceleron, Celgene to Collaborate on Anabolic Bone Agent ACE-011, a Decoy Activin Receptor, for Cancer-Related Bone Loss
Acceleron Pharma and Celgene Corp announced a worldwide strategic collaboration for the development and commercialization of ACE-011, a novel bone-forming compound for the treatment of cancer-related bone loss...

Tuesday Feb 26, 2008
Abbott Receives FDA Approval for Humira^® (Adalimumab) for Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis; EOW Dosing
Abbott Laboratories announced it has received US FDA approval to market Humira^® (adalimumab) as a treatment to reduce signs and symptoms of moderately to severely active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis...

Thursday Feb 21, 2008
Women More Likely to Postpone New Knees
Women are waiting longer to undergo knee replacement surgery than men, and the delay may cause greater disability...

Thursday Feb 21, 2008
Glucosamine Misses GOAL in Hip OA Study
The first major trial of glucosamine sulfate in early hip OA found that it was no better than placebo at reducing pain, improving function, or slowing progression...

Thursday Feb 21, 2008
Computer-Assisted Validation of the Synovitis Score
Researchers assessed the reliability of the synovitis score as a grading system for chronic joint diseases...

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...

Monday Feb 11, 2008
UCB Reports US FDA to Review Cimzia® License Application for Treatment of RA
UCB announced that the US FDA agreed to accept a Biologics License Application for Cimzia® (certolizumab pegol), a PEGylated and Fc-free anti-TNFα antibody-fragment therapeutic, for the treatment of adult patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA)...

Monday Feb 11, 2008
Half of RA Patients in Europe Forced to Retire Early; Increasing Healthcare Costs
As many as half of all rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients are forced into early retirement and must apply for disability within 10 years of disease onset; adding to the extremely high societal and economic costs of RA...

Thursday Feb 07, 2008
Supplement Shows Promise for Mild Knee Arthritis
A dietary supplement derived from chickens may relieve the pain in patients with mild knee arthritis...

Tuesday Feb 05, 2008
Inverse Relationship Between Vertebral Fractures and Spine Osteoarthritis in Postmenopausal Women With Osteoporosis
Disc space narrowing decreases the incidence of vertebral fracture in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis...

Tuesday Feb 05, 2008
MGH Center is a Pioneer in Knee Repair
Physicians at the Massachusetts General Hospital sports medicine center are experimenting with new techniques for joint reconstruction in athletes...

Friday Feb 01, 2008
IL-27 Shows Promise for Treating Inflammatory Arthritis
Interleukin-27 (IL-27) can attenuate collagen-induced arthritis when given early in the disease course by blocking Th17 differentiation...

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...

Thursday Jan 24, 2008
Bacterial Gastroenteritis Leads to Joint Pain That Seldom Needs Prescription Treatment
Patients who experience gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms after a bacterial outbreak are more likely to report a diagnosis of arthritis in the ensuing 4 years, but they are not likely to report needing prescription drugs for their joint pain...

Tuesday Jan 15, 2008
Evaluation of a Quantitative Scoring of Enthesitis in Ankylosing Spondylitis
Researchers assessed the validity of an enthesitis index calculated by algometric pressure pain threshold scoring...

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...

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...

Thursday Jan 10, 2008
SC Beats Oral Methotrexate for RA
Starting treatment with subcutaneous (SC) methotrexate (MTX) is significantly more effective than starting with oral MTX in patients with active, early RA...

Wednesday Jan 09, 2008
Personalized Exercise Prescriptions Warranted in RA
Individually-tailored exercise programs taking a patient's specific needs and abilities into account should become a standard part of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment. Such programs can help reverse joint damage and reduce cardiovascular risk factors in this population...

Monday Jan 07, 2008
Abbott's Humira® Approved in the EU for Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Plaque Psoriasis
Abbott announced it has received marketing authorization from the European Commission for the use of the TNF antagonist Humira® (adalimumab) as a treatment for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Humira is the first fully human, self-injectable biologic for the treatment of psoriasis...

Thursday Jan 03, 2008
Forest, Cypress Submit New Drug Application for Milnacipran for the Treatment of Fibromyalgia
Forest Laboratories, Inc and Cypress Bioscience, Inc announced that they have submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the US FDA for milnacipran, a unique dual-reuptake inhibitor being developed for the treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS)...

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 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...

Tuesday Dec 18, 2007
Rigel's Oral Syk Kinase Inhibitor, R788 (tamatinib fosdium), Achieves Statistically Significant ACR-20, -50, -70 in Phase II RA Clinical Study; Achieves Effect As Early As 1 Week
Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc announced that its oral syk kinase inhibitor, R788 (tamatinib fosdium), has demonstrated statistically significant results in treating rheumatoid arthritis patients in a recently completed phase II clinical trial...

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...

Friday Dec 14, 2007
New Kid on the Block: Everolimus Looks Promising as Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment
A "proof-of-concept" study shows that the immunosuppressant everolimus may be an effective addition to MTX for rheumatoid arthritis patients whose disease is only partly MTX-responsive...

Friday Dec 14, 2007
Acologix Reports AC-100 Promotes Articular Surface Restoration and Subchondral Bone Healing in Osteochondral Defect Study in Goats
Acologix, Inc announced preclinical study results demonstrating that AC-100 (Dentonin®) promoted cartilage regeneration in an animal model. Dentonin is a synthetic peptide derived from an endogenous human protein produced by bone and dental cells...

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 Dec 12, 2007
 New Hips Keep on Keeping On
The benefits of total hip arthroplasty on physical function are substantial and long-lasting especially in osteoarthritis (OA) patients with more pronounced X-ray damage...

Friday Dec 07, 2007
Pfizer, Adolor Enter Into Exclusive Worldwide Collaboration to Develop and Commercialize Delta Opioid Receptor Agonists to Treat Range of Inflammatory, Neuropathic, and Acute Pain

Pfizer Inc and Adolor Corp, a leader in the area of novel, opioid receptor-targeted therapeutics, announced an exclusive worldwide collaboration to develop and commercialize delta opioid receptor agonist candidates, ADL5859 and ADL5747, for the treatment of pain...

Thursday Dec 06, 2007
 Drug Update: Rituximab
Repeat rituximab was notably effective in patients with DMARD-resistant RA, and the B-cell depleting agent is being tested in pediatric SLE and in Sjögren's syndrome...

Monday Dec 03, 2007
Targeted Genetics Announces That US FDA Removed Hold on Phase I/II Clinical Trial of tgAAC94 for Inflammatory Arthritis; Phase II Clinical Trial Protocol Design Underway

Targeted Genetics Corp announced that the US FDA removed the hold on the company's phase I/II clinical trial of tgACC94 for inflammatory arthritis, following the agency's review of the safety data thus far on all 127 subjects and all data from a fatal serious adverse event, which led to the death of a patient...

Thursday Nov 29, 2007
Osiris Announces Clinically and Statistically Significant 1-Year Data From Phase I/II Trial of Chondrogenâ„¢; OA Knee Patients Receive Single Injection of Adult Stem Cells Into Knee
Osiris Therapeutics, Inc, a leading stem cell therapeutic company, announced positive 1-year interim results in the evaluation of Chondrogenâ„¢, a preparation of mesenchymal stem cells obtained from the bone marrow of healthy adult donors and formulated for direct injection into the knee...

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...

Wednesday Nov 28, 2007
MedImmune Initiates First Phase I Trial of an Anti-GM-CSFR Monoclonal Antibody in Patients With RA
MedImmune, Inc announced that dosing of patients has begun in the first phase I clinical trial of CAM-3001, a fully human monoclonal antibody targeting the alpha subunit of the granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor receptor. The study is designed to evaluate the safety and tolerability of single doses of CAM-3001 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis...

Wednesday Nov 21, 2007
Combining MTX or Other DMARD With Biologic Seen as Best Strategy for MTX-Resistant Rheumatoid Arthritis
A systematic review of head-to-head trials and prospective cohort studies found little difference among either conventional DMARDs or anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) drugs used as monotherapy, but suggests that adding a conventional DMARD to a biologic may be the best strategy for MTX-resistant RA...

Wednesday Nov 21, 2007
Researchers "Shocked" at Enbrel's Efficacy in JRA
Etanercept (Enbrel®) is safe and effective in the long-term treatment of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), according to new 8-year outcome data...

Monday Nov 19, 2007
TNF-Blocker Plus MTX Slashes Heart Risk in RA
Combination therapy with a TNF-inhibitor plus MTX slashes heart attack risk by 80% in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients...

Friday Nov 16, 2007
Certolizumab Induces Faster Responses in RA
Thirty percent of RA patients treated with certolizumab plus MTX reached ACR20 within the first week of treatment; 50% reached ACR20 within 2 weeks...

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...

Tuesday Nov 13, 2007
Anti-IL-12/23 Monoclonal Produces Dramatic Results in Psoriatic Arthritis
The anti-IL-12/23 monoclonal antibody ustekinumab produced dramatic, durable improvements in psoriatic arthritis, according to phase II data reported at the American College of Rheumatology...

Tuesday Nov 13, 2007
Targeted Genetics Reports Positive Interim Phase I/II Results for tgAAC94 in Inflammatory Arthritis; Tests Indicate tgAAC94 Did Not Contribute to Immunosuppression Leading to Fatal SAE
Targeted Genetics Corp, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, announced that interim data from its phase I/II trial of tgAAC94 for inflammatory arthritis suggest that the investigational therapy showed improvement in patient-reported outcome measures...

Tuesday Nov 13, 2007
Infliximab Adds Little to Combined DMARDs for Early RA--Unless You're Fat
Obesity halves an RA patient's chance of remission with conventional combination DMARD treatment, but adding infliximab can overcome this problem...

Monday Nov 12, 2007
Rheumatologists Need to Be More Shoe Savvy
Clogs and stability shoes are good for the feet but not the knees of patients with knee OA...

Monday Nov 12, 2007
Biogen Idec's Baminercept, the First Lymphotoxin-β Pathway Inhibitor in Development, Shows Promise in Phase IIa Trial in RA Patients; Phase IIb Underway 
Biogen Idec announced results from its phase IIa trial of baminercept, the first dual-mechanism, lymphotoxin-β (LT-β) and LIGHT pathway inhibitor in development for the treatment of autoimmune diseases...

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...

Friday Nov 09, 2007
Control of Osteoclast Development Goes Awry in Gout
Patients with tophaceous gout have disordered osteoclast development partly due to the effect of uric acid crystals on bone marrow stromal cells...

Thursday Nov 08, 2007
Centocor, Schering-Plough's Anti-TNF Golimumab Significantly Improved Articular, Skin, and Nail Manifestations in Patients With Psoriatic Arthritis in Phase III Study; Met Primary and Major Secondary Endpoints
Centocor, Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, announced that patients with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) receiving monthly subcutaneous injections of golimumab experienced significant and sustained improvements in the joint and skin manifestations of the disease, according to findings from the largest phase III biologic study (GO-REVEAL trial) in PsA subjects...

Thursday Nov 08, 2007
Half of RA Patients Might Reach Remission With Early, Aggressive Use of Conventional DMARDs
If inflammatory arthritis is detected early and treated vigorously, remission is a possibility for 50% of patients...

Friday Nov 02, 2007
Strontium Ranelate May Slow Osteoarthritis Progression
The osteoporosis drug strontium ranelate (Protelos®) may stop or slow the progression of osteoarthritis (OA) and also might alleviate back pain...

Thursday Nov 01, 2007
Low-Dose Glucocorticoids Halve Risk of Treatment-Limiting Infliximab Infusion Reactions

Treatment-limiting infliximab infusion reactions were significantly less frequent in RA patients who were also taking low-dose glucocorticoids...

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
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
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
Galápagos, Janssen Form Global Alliance to Develop Oral Small Molecule Therapeutics for Multiple Targets in RA 
Galápagos NV, a drug discovery company with clinical and preclinical programs in bone and joint diseases, announced that it has entered into a worldwide multitarget alliance with Janssen Pharmaceutica NV to discover and develop small molecule therapeutics for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)...

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...

Monday Oct 22, 2007
Hollis-Eden Reports Positive Data Demonstrating That Anti-Inflammatory Agent HE3286 (Triolex^TM) Provides Benefit in Animal Models of Ulcerative Colitis and RA; Will Initiate Phase I/II Clinical Study in RA
Hollis-Eden Pharmaceuticals, Inc, a company focused on the development of a proprietary new class of small molecules that are metabolites or synthetic analogs of endogenous adrenal steroid hormones, announced additional data on drug candidate HE3286 (Triolex^TM), an orally active, second generation, synthetic 17-ethynyl derivative of the steroid hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), currently in preclinical and clinical study for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and inflammatory disorders...

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
TNF Inhibitors Not Better Than DMARDs for Cardiac Protection in RA
TNF inhibitors are not better than traditional DMARDs at preventing MI in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, but lower heart attack rates in those who respond to TNF-blockers support the hypothesis that inflammation plays a role in the increased MI risk associated with RA...

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
First Case Reported of Lupus Erythematosus Tumidus Induced by Sex Reassignment Surgery
Environmental triggers contribute to lupus pathogenesis, and the hormone regimens used in male-to-female sex reassignment can induce lupus-like symptoms...

Monday Oct 01, 2007
Vigorous Exercise May Benefit Knees
Breaking a sweat while exercising at least once a week for around 20 minutes may stave off the development of knee osteoarthritis...

Thursday Sep 27, 2007
Panel Issues New Guidelines for Use of Imaging in Ankylosing Spondylitis
Although standard X-rays are essential for diagnosis and MRI may help diagnose early cases before radiographic damage develops,  no form of imaging is yet useful for monitoring response to treatment or for routine monitoring of disease progression in AS, experts say...

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...

Wednesday Sep 19, 2007
Anticytokine Shots May Aid Healing Following Knee Injuries
Shooting TNF inhibitors or IL-1 blockers directly into the joint may help promote healing following meniscal tears…McNulty AL, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2007;56:doi:10.1002/art [Epub ahead of print].

Tuesday Sep 11, 2007
Synovio-Entheseal Complex Seen As Key to Psoriatic Arthritis, Spondylarthropathies
The synovio-entheseal complex (SEC), where the enthesis and synovium come together in a synovial joint, links joint damage and innate immune activation leading to joint inflammation...McGonagle D, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2007;56:2482-2491.

Monday Sep 10, 2007
Jury Out on Whether Surgical Repair of ACL Tears Staves Off OA

Little convincing evidence supports surgical repair of the anterior cruciate ligament or meniscus as a way of preventing OA, but the problem may lie in the way the studies have been done, not in the surgery…Lohmander LS, et al. Am J Sports Med. 2007 Aug 29; doi: 10.1177/0363546507307396 [Epub ahead of print].

Friday Sep 07, 2007
Archus Orthopedics Completes World's First Lumbosacral Facet Joint Replacement 
Archus Orthopedics, Inc, a privately-held company developing reconstructive implants to treat a variety of spine disorders resulting from degenerative changes in the facet joints, announced that it has successfully completed in Europe the first human implants of its new TFAS-LS^â„¢ system, representing the first ever facet joint replacement procedures performed at the lumbosacral spinal (LS) level...

Thursday Sep 06, 2007
Knee Monoarthritis May Be a Harbinger of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Mild-to-moderate knee monoarthritis may be an early warning sign of non-small-cell lung cancer in heavy smokers...

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
Pulse IVMP Treatment May Decline With the Advent of New Lupus Therapies
Intravenous methylprednisolone (IVMP) still plays an important role in treating acute flares among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but its role in acute flares and long-term treatment of lupus nephritis and of nonrenal lupus manifestations may require reevaluation as new treatments become available…Parker BJ, et al. Lupus. 2007;16(6):387-393.

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 28, 2007
Diseased Blood Vessels in the Bone May Cause or Aggravate OA
Vascular pathology may play a role in the pathogenesis or progression of osteoarthritis…Findlay DM. Rheumatology. 2007; doi:10.1093/rheumatology/kem191 [Epub ahead of print].

Tuesday Aug 28, 2007
Interleukin Genetics Collaborates With NYU Medical Center to Evaluate Genetic Patterns Associated With IL-1β Overproduction and Development of Polyarticular OA
Interleukin Genetics, a genetics-focused personalized health company, announced today that it has initiated a study on the genetics of osteoarthritis (OA) in collaboration with the Hospital for Joint Diseases of New York University Medical Center...

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
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
Three New Studies Investigate How—Or Even If—Race and Ethnicity Affect Arthritis
CIAOMed takes an in-depth look at current research on the relationship between race, ethnicity, and arthritis...

Monday Aug 20, 2007
Oral Glucosamine Sulphate Reaches Blood, Joints in Levels That Might Be Bioactive
Oral glucosamine sulphate is bioavailable in the blood and the joints…Persiani S, et al. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2007;15;764-772.

Friday Aug 17, 2007
Mayo Researchers Shake, Blast Biofilms to ID Bacteria Infecting Joint Prostheses
Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a new test that identifies organisms infecting joint prostheses more accurately than sampling tissue around the joint at the time of resection...Trampuz A, et al. N Engl J Med. 2007;357:654-663.

Thursday Aug 16, 2007
Even Moderate Exercise Improves Outcomes in JIA
Two new studies document diminished aerobic and anaerobic exercise capacity in children and teens with JIA and show that even moderate exercise can markedly improve outcomes...

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.

Monday Aug 13, 2007
Can B-Cell Depletion With Rituximab Trigger Psoriasis?
New case studies linking rituximab therapy for RA and SLE with new-onset psoriasis may call for caution on the ever-expanding use of the B-cell depleting drug...Dass S, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2007;56:2715-2718.

Thursday Aug 09, 2007
Does Collagen Stimulate Its Own Degradation in OA Joints?
Chondrocytes are exposed to collagen in OA cartilage but not in normal joints. This process appears to trigger DDR-2-mediated expression of enzymes that further degrade collagen and add to joint destruction...Xu L et al, and Sandell LJ. Arthritis Rheum. 2007;2663-2673 and 2474-2477.

Thursday Aug 09, 2007
Calcitonin Study Heightens Interest in Antiresorptive Agents to Prevent OA Joint Damage
Calcitonin prevents the development of OA in an animal model and adds to evidence that antiresorptive agents can protect both cartilage and bone...

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 Aug 07, 2007
Medarex Announces Initiation by Licensing Partner Novartis of Phase III Clinical Trial for Muckle-Wells Syndrome, a Rare Inherited Autoinflammatory Disease
Medarex, Inc announced that Novartis Pharmaceuticals AG has advanced ACZ885, a fully human monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-1β (IL-1 β), to a phase III clinical trial for Muckle-Wells syndrome (MWS), an inherited systemic autoinflammatory disease...

Thursday Aug 02, 2007
FDA Stops Arthritis Gene Therapy Trial After Patient Dies
CIAOMed takes an in-depth look into what went wrong in the inflammatory arthritis gene therapy trial that resulted in a patient's death and what this incident may mean for the future of gene trials, particularly in arthritis...

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...

Monday Jul 30, 2007
Can Vitamin D Help Treat RA?
Low vitamin D levels linked to more severe inflammatory arthritis…Patel S, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2007;56:2143-2149.

Monday Jul 30, 2007
Long-term MTX or TNF-Inhibitors Do Not Increase EBV Load in RA Patients
The immunosuppressant effects of long-term use of methotrexate or TNF-inhibitors by rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients do not lead to increased Epstein-Barr virus load...Balandraud N, et al. Arthritis Care Res. 2007;57:762-767.

Thursday Jul 26, 2007
Vitamin C After Wrist Fracture Prevents Chronic Pain Syndrome
Vitamin C (500 mg/day) taken for 50 days after wrist fracture significantly reduces the risk of developing complex regional pain syndrome...

Wednesday Jul 25, 2007
Targeted Genetics' Inflammatory Arthritis Phase I/II Trial Placed on Clinical Hold
Targeted Genetics Corp, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, announced that after recent discussions with the US FDA, the phase I/II clinical study of tgAAC94, an investigational therapy for the treatment of inflammatory arthritis, has been placed on clinical hold.

Wednesday Jul 25, 2007
Hip Protectors Fail to Prevent Hip Fracture in Nursing Home Residents
Energy-absorbing/shunting hip protectors do not protect nursing home residents from hip fractures…Kiel DP, et al. JAMA. 2007;298:413-422.

Friday Jul 20, 2007
OA Experts Discuss Inflammation, Joint Protection, Need for Disease-Modifying OA Drugs
CIAOMed's roundtable of osteoarthritis experts discuss the role of inflammation in OA, the possibility that OA joint damage might be preventable, and the future role of disease-modifying drugs in OA....

Thursday Jul 19, 2007
ACR REF Campaign Taps Brightest Minds to Cure RA
The American College of Rheumatology Research and Education Foundation has awarded $6 million in grant money to 15 arthritis researchers as part of a new "Within Our Reach: Finding a Cure for Rheumatoid Arthritis" campaign.

Tuesday Jul 17, 2007
Prospective Study Validates ESR and CRP as Screening Tests for Infection Before Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty

ESR and CRP can be used to differentiate infected from noninfected knees prior to revision total knee arthroplasty…

Friday Jul 13, 2007
Resistance Training Benefits Patients With Myositis
Patients with chronic, stable polymyositis and dermatomyositis can benefit from intensive resistance exercise without suffering increased muscle inflammation...

Friday Jul 13, 2007
Intensive MTX Therapy Plus Computer Guidance Moves More RA Patients into Remission
Intensive methotrexate (MTX) therapy adjusted with the help of a quantitative computerized decision program may move more early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients into remission than conventional MTX treatment…Verstappen SMM, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2007; May 22; [Epub ahead of print].

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

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 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...

Tuesday Jul 03, 2007
Conventional Drugs Can Beat Back Early RA
Two-year data show that intensive treatment with methotrexate (MTX) and intra-articular corticosteroid can reduce X-ray progression in early RA...

Thursday Jun 28, 2007
FDA Approves New Labeling for Carticel® in Repair of Articular Knee Cartilage
Genzyme Corporation announced that the US FDA has approved new labeling for Carticel® based on the company's completing a final FDA postapproval commitment study...

Wednesday Jun 27, 2007
Roche and Toyama Chemical Execute Agreement to Develop and Commercialize an Inhibitor of the Transcription Factor AP-1 (Activator Protein-1) to Treat RA
Roche Pharmaceuticals and Toyama Chemical Co, Ltd announced that they have entered into a licensing agreement for the worldwide research, development, and commercialization of Toyama's rheumatoid arthritis (RA) agent T-5224, an orally bioavailable inhibitor of the transcription factor AP-1 (Activator Protein-1).

Thursday Jun 21, 2007
Lumiracoxib Effective for Hip OA and Better for BP Control Than Ibuprofen in Hypertensive OA Patients
Lumiracoxib shows promise for hip OA, and may be better than ibuprofen for hypertensive OA patients...

Tuesday Jun 19, 2007
Single Dose of Denosumab Reduces Bone Erosion in RA
MRI and X-ray data show that a single dose of denosumab reduces progression of bone erosions in RA patients...

Monday Jun 18, 2007
GSK and Genmab Report Positive Phase II Results With Ofatumumab (HuMax-CD20) in Patients With RA
GlaxoSmithKline (PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvannia) and Genmab A/S (COPENHAGEN, Denmark) announced positive efficacy data from a phase II study of ofatumumab (HuMax-CD20®), a fully human monoclonal IgG1antibody targeting the CD20 antigen on the surface of B-cells, in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)...

Saturday Jun 16, 2007
Certolizumab, First PEGylated TNF-Blocker, May Surpass Older Drugs in Efficacy, Safety
When used with methotrexate, certolizumab pegol (Cimzia) may move rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients into remission more quickly than currently available TNF-blockers...

Friday Jun 15, 2007
Two Thirds of Gout Patients Receiving No, or Not Enough Treatment
A number of new treatment options for gout are available, but the major clinical problem is that even after gout diagnosis, only about one third of patients receive urate-lowering therapy...

Thursday Jun 14, 2007
Steroids Are DMARDS: MTX Plus Prednisolone Provides Durable Benefit in RA
Study confirms "window of opportunity" in early RA where steroids can reduce structural damage…

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...

Monday Jun 04, 2007
Switching to Rituximab May Be Best Call If TNF-Blockers Fail in RA
Switching RA patients to rituximab after inadequate response to TNF inhibitors may be better than trying yet another anti-TNF agent...

Thursday May 31, 2007
Studies Support Back Surgery Mainly for Nerve-Root-Associated Symptoms and Find Little Need to Rush to the OR
Lumbar-disk surgery for sciatica speeds pain relief but does not affect recovery at 1 year, but spinal fusion for lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis with spinal stenosis was more effective than nonsurgical treatment...

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 29, 2007
Biomechanics, Damage Outside Cartilage May Doom Chondroprotection
Chondroprotection seemed like a reasonable approach to OA when the disease was thought to result from wear and tear on cartilage, but it has had little success in clinical trials. Biomechanics and damage outside the cartilage may be the reason...

Friday May 25, 2007
Accumulating Evidence Supports Adalimumab for Severe Psoriatic Arthritis
Adalimumab (Humira®) is safe and effective for patients with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) who showed an inadequate response to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)...

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)...

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...

Thursday May 17, 2007
Airport Metal Detectors Find Most Hip, Knee Replacements
Airport metal detectors on "high security" sweeps detect most hip and knee implants. Patients who have implants should be provided with a physician's letter describing the implant and are advised to report the implant to airport security before approaching the scanner...

Wednesday May 16, 2007
Is There Anything Statins Can't Do? Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs May Moderate RA
In addition to their lipid-lowering effects, statins may reduce disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients...

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...

Wednesday May 09, 2007
Synovial Inflammation in Lyme Arthritis Can Persist Even After Infection Is Cleared
Even when antibiotic treatment completely clears the infection in patients with Lyme arthritis, synovial inflammation may persist...

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
Selected Presentations From the American Pain Society Meeting
American Pain Society presentations included new research on genetic factors associated with TMJD and with shoulder pain, a randomized trial of nabilone for fibromyalgia, and the intersection between chronic pain and PTSD...

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...

Tuesday May 01, 2007
MRI Erosions, Edema in RA  Are Due to Inflammatory Infiltrates in Bone Marrow
Bone erosions and bone marrow edema seen with MRI in joints affected by RA are due to inflammatory infiltrates that have invaded the bone marrow...

Monday Apr 30, 2007
RA Synovial Hyperplasia Linked to Protein That Prevents Apoptosis
Decoy receptor 3, previously found in tumor cells, is also produced in RA and OA synoviocytes and inhibits apoptosis of synoviocytes, perhaps contributing to synovial hyperplasia and pannus formation in rheumatoid joints...

Friday Apr 27, 2007
Estrogen Exposure May Increase Lupus Risk
Lupus affects nine women for every one man. Is estrogen to blame?...

Thursday Apr 26, 2007
Local Gene Therapy for RA Intra-articular Anti-TNF Gene Transduction Reduces Joint Inflammation in RA Animal Model
An anti-TNF gene therapy vector carried by an adeno-associated retrovirus vector and injected into inflamed joints successfully reduced joint inflammation and levels of inflammatory markers in an animal model of RA...

Wednesday Apr 25, 2007
Varus Alignment Doubles Risk for Knee OA in Overweight Subjects
Varus knee alignment precedes and doubles the risk of new-onset knee OA in overweight or obese subjects and worsens disease progression...

Thursday Apr 19, 2007
Little High-Quality Evidence Found for Either Diagnosis or Treatment of Septic Arthritis
A systematic review of research on septic arthritis finds little reliable evidence to guide either diagnosis or management. The review identifies antibiotic choice, route of administration, and duration as key unanswered questions, as well as whether closed aspiration or open arthroscopy/arthrotomy is better for cleaning out an infected joint...

Tuesday Apr 17, 2007
Is the "Golden Moment of Opportunity" to Improve FDA's Drug Safety Work About to Be Wasted?
The FDA's proposals for the reauthorization of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act are weighed and found wanting by experts in three New England Journal of Medicine commentaries...

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...

Thursday Apr 12, 2007
Cerimon Initiates Global Phase IIb Study of IL-2 Receptor Antagonist, Basiliximab, in Patients With Steroid-Refractory Ulcerative Colitis
Cerimon Pharmaceuticals, Inc, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development and commercialization of therapeutics for  autoimmune diseases, inflammation associated with autoimmune diseases, and pain management, announced that it has begun enrolling patients in a phase IIb clinical study of its lead product candidate basiliximab (SimulectR, Novartis Pharma AG) for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC).

Tuesday Apr 10, 2007
Aromatase Inhibitors Linked to Increasing Rate of Arthralgias in Cancer Survivors
Aromatase inhibitors have revolutionized breast cancer treatment, but are also contributing to increased rates of arthralgias in cancer survivors and may uncover underlying RA in some cases...

Friday Apr 06, 2007
Shared Epitope Either Raises or Lowers Risk of RA-Related Antibodies, Depending on Neighboring Amino Acids
HLA-DRB1 shared epitope alleles can either predispose to or protect against production of autoantibodies associated with early, erosive RA, depending on which amino acids occupy neighboring positions...

Tuesday Apr 03, 2007
Inflammation More Important Than Joint Damage in Psoriatic Arthritis Disability
Psoriatic arthritis disease activity is more important than joint damage in causing disability, especially in the early years of disease duration…

Tuesday Mar 20, 2007
Two-Year BeSt Data Confirm Benefits of Early Combo DMARDs for Early RA, Highlight Importance of Tight Control and Individualized Treatment
Two-year data from the BeSt trial support initial combination therapy, changed as needed to sustain DAS <2.4, as most effective for preventing progression of early RA...

Monday Mar 19, 2007
Joint Damage Continues in Some RA Patients Despite Sustained Clinical Remission
Radiologic damage may progress in some RA patients who meet standard criteria for clinical remission. This radiologic damage is independent of joint inflammation, and absence of progression should be added to remission criteria in RA...

Monday Mar 19, 2007
Medivir Begins Initial Clinical Trial of Osteoporosis Drug Cathepsin K Inhibitor
Medivir AB, a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, announced the start of its first osteoporosis clinical trial of MIV-701, an orally bioavailable inhibitor of cathepsin K, a thiol (cysteine) protease that is expressed by osteoclasts and degrades key bone and cartilage matrix proteins, including type 1 collagen...

Thursday Mar 15, 2007
MIC-1 May Be a Biomarker for Erosive Disease in RA
Serum levels of the transforming growth factor ß superfamily member MIC-1 may help clinicians identify rheumatoid arthritis patients who are at greatest risk for erosive disease and thus are  candidates for aggressive therapy…

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...

Tuesday Mar 13, 2007
Experts Hope Ultrasound and MRI Will Get More Gout Patients Into Treatment

In-office ultrasonography and greater use of MRI might improve gout diagnosis, simplify monitoring of response to urate-lowering therapy, and inspire more aggressive use of hypouricemic agents...

Thursday Mar 08, 2007
Mayo Clinic Study Suggests that Steroids Raise CV Risk Only in RF-Positive Patients
Steroid exposure increases CV risk in RA patients who were RF-positive, but not in patients RF-negative, Mayo Clinic researchers conclude...

Tuesday Mar 06, 2007
Coxibs and Other NSAIDs Delay Fracture Healing If Used At Wrong Time
Use of COX-2 inhibitors to deaden pain in the 14 days after a fracture might also inhibit fracture healing, although use of the drugs prior to or more than 2 weeks after injury seems safe...

Monday Mar 05, 2007
New Study Suggests MRI Might Be Alternative to Radiographic JSW as Efficacy Measure for Osteoarthritis Drugs
Radiographic JSW remains the gold standard for assessing progression of knee OA in clinical trials, but new research suggests that MRI might be a reasonable alternative...

Thursday Mar 01, 2007
Calcium-Containing Crystals May Contribute to OA Joint Destruction, Be Amenable to Treatment
Evidence is accumulating that calcium-containing crystals, which are common in OA synovial fluids in some patients, contribute to the development of rapidly destructive arthritis and might be a target for therapeutic intervention...

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)...

Monday Feb 26, 2007
Lupus Patients Clear UV-Damaged "Sunburn Cells" but May Have Unusual Inflammatory Reaction to Them
Sunlight can trigger new skin lesions and worsen disease activity in lupus; this might reflect an abnormal inflammatory response to UV-damaged cells, despite the ability to clear them normally from the epidermis...

Thursday Feb 22, 2007
Zimmer and ISTO Start Clinical Trial of Neocartilage (DeNovo® ET Engineered Tissue Graft), a Novel Cartilage Regeneration Treatment 
Zimmer Holdings, Inc, an orthopaedic leader in reconstructive and spinal implants, trauma, and related orthopaedic surgical products, and ISTO Technologies, Inc, a clinical-stage orthobiologic company that focuses on cell-based technology for the repair and regeneration of damaged cartilage in joints and spinal discs, announced the initiation of a clinical trial for Neocartilage, a living tissue-engineered graft...

Tuesday Feb 20, 2007
Subset of Early RA Patients Seems Doomed to Progression Regardless of Treatment
Some patients with recent-onset RA who are RF-positive, are anti-CCP-positive, or have a high cumulative amount of disease activity are likely to have rapid progression despite aggressive treatment...

Tuesday Feb 20, 2007
Osiris's Chondrogenâ„¢ Adult Stem Cell Therapy Fails to Demonstrate Cartilage Regeneration According to Interim Results from Phase I/II Study
Osiris Therapeutics, a leader in adult stem cell therapy, announced that 6-month interim results from its phase I/II clinical study of Chondrogenâ„¢, a preparation of mesenchymal stem cells obtained from the bone marrow of healthy adult donors and specially formulated for direct injection into the knee for the regeneration of the meniscus in the knee and prevention of osteoarthritis, failed to demonstrate significant amounts of meniscal regeneration...

Friday Feb 16, 2007
No Gain to Pre-Op Antibiotics Before Knee Arthroscopy
Routine knee arthroscopy is associated with a very low rate of infection, and preoperative antibiotics do not reduce that rate…

Thursday Feb 15, 2007
Experts at the 74th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Predict Clinically Useful Gene Therapy, Tissue Engineering Will Be Available "in 5 to 10 Years"
Presentations at the AAOS meeting include advances in both gene therapy and tissue-engineered products for cartilage, bone, and tendon repair...

Thursday Feb 15, 2007
Surgeons Warn Against Over-Use of "Minimally Invasive Surgery" for Hip Replacements
Surgeons at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 74th Annual Meeting questioned the advantages of minimally invasive hip replacement surgery compared with "gold standard" open THR... AAOS 2007 Annual Meeting.

Tuesday Feb 13, 2007
Rheumatologists Advised to Be Alert for Signs of Serum Sickness in Rituximab-Treated Patients
The first case of rituximab-induced serum sickness in a patient without an underlying autoimmune disorder suggests that this problem might be under-recognized in RA and SLE patients...

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...

Tuesday Feb 06, 2007
New RA Vaccine Targets Regulatory T-Cells
A pilot clinical trial of a new RA vaccine derived from autologous synovial T-cells shows proof-of-principle that inducing CD4+ regulatory T-cells can improve clinical and laboratory parameters in RA patients...

Wednesday Jan 31, 2007
New Model Predicts Risk of RA
A newly developed, easy-to-use prediction rule may help rheumatologists determine which patients with undifferentiated arthritis (UA) will progress to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and require early, aggressive treatment...

Wednesday Jan 31, 2007
First, Do No Harm—Exercise Won't Up Risk of Knee OA
Exercise neither protects against nor increases the risk of knee osteoarthritis (OA) in older, overweight adults…

Thursday Jan 25, 2007
Anti-Infliximab Antibodies Linked to Nonresponse in AS
New research outlines some drawbacks and limitations in the use of TNF-inhibitors among patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and other forms of spondylarthritis...

Thursday Jan 18, 2007
New Treatments Rocked Rheumatology in 2006

New treatment options have advanced rheumatology care in 2006, but lupus remains an unsolved problem, and CIAOMed Editorial Board members expect economic issues to greatly impact rheumatology practice in 2007...

Friday Jan 12, 2007
Lavage With Steroids Better Than Aspiration With Steroids for Inflammatory Knee  Arthritis
Arthroscopic lavage plus steroids provides a more prolonged therapeutic benefit than  joint aspiration plus steroids or lavage alone in knee inflammatory arthritis...

Thursday Jan 11, 2007
Combination DMARD Therapy Leads to Sustained Remission in RA
Treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with a combination of disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) plus prednisolone results in sustained remission and blocks the progression of radiographic joint damage in a "remarkable proportion" of patients...

Thursday Jan 11, 2007
New Study Challenges Role of Low Vitamin D in OA Worsening
Low vitamin D levels did not predict worsening of knee OA joint space narrowing or cartilage loss...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Monday Dec 18, 2006
Smoking Exacerbates Knee OA
Men with knee osteoarthritis (OA) who smoke experience greater cartilage loss and more severe pain than men who do not smoke…Amin S, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2006 December 20; [Epub ahead of print].

Wednesday Dec 13, 2006
RA Remission Often Accompanied by Silent Synovitis
The majority of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who meet ACR remission criteria still have synovitis detectable on MRI or ultrasound...

Monday Dec 11, 2006
Steroids, Cytotoxics Cause More Heart Damage than Biologics in Treating RA
Biologic immunosuppressive agents used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) carry cardiovascular risks similar to that of methotrexate (MTX), but oral glucocorticoids and other cytotoxic RA drugs are more damaging to the heart...

Wednesday Dec 06, 2006
Serum MMP-3 May Be Biomarker of Joint Damage in AS, MRI Accuracy Questioned
Measuring serum levels of metalloproteinase 3 (MMP3) may be an inexpensive yet accurate way for rheumatologists to predict which AS patients will develop joint damage, particularly in those with pre-existing radiographic damage...

Monday Dec 04, 2006
Hollis-Eden's Steroid Hormone Preclinical Drug Candidate HE3286 Gains Positive Data in Model of RA
Hollis-Eden Pharmaceuticals, Inc, developing a proprietary new class of small molecule compounds that are metabolites or synthetic analogs of adrenal steroid hormones, announced data on an experimental drug candidate, HE3286, an orally active, second-generation, synthetic steroid hormone currently in preclinical study for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and inflammatory disorders.

Wednesday Nov 29, 2006
KaloBios Initiates Phase I Clinical Trial of Anti-GM-CSF Antibody for Rheumatoid Arthritis
KaloBios Pharmaceuticals, Inc, a privately-held clinical development company focused on the development of therapeutic antibodies, announced that it has begun treating patients in a phase I clinical trial of its investigational rheumatoid arthritis (RA) therapeutic, KB002, an engineered chimeric human monoclonal antibody targeting the cytokine growth factor, granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF).

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.

Wednesday Nov 29, 2006
Millennium Begins Phase II Study of CCR1 Antagonist in Rheumatoid Arthritis 
Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc announced the initiation of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter phase II study of MLN3897, an orally active, small-molecule antagonist of the chemokine receptor CCR1, in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). 

Monday Nov 27, 2006
Rituximab in RA
Rituximab prevents joint damage, can be given repeatedly, and does not block response to influenza vaccine in RA patients... Presented at ACR 2006 Meeting.

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.

Thursday Nov 16, 2006
Anti-TNF-α Golimumab (CNTO 148), Under Development by Centocor and Schering-Plough, Provides Sustained Improvement in Moderately-to-Severely Active Rheumatoid Arthritis in Phase II Study
Centocor, Inc (HORSHAM, Pennsylvania), a wholly owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, announced that 1-year data, presented at the 70th Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology in Washington, DC, showed that nearly 75% of patients with moderately-to-severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) receiving golimumab (CNTO 148) and methotrexate experienced at least 20% improvement in arthritis symptoms (ACR 20) at week 52.

Wednesday Nov 15, 2006
Three-Year BeSt Results Suggest MTX Plus Infliximab Can Move Some RA Patients Into Drug-Free Remission
Three-year results from the BeSt study suggest that early induction therapy with infliximab plus MTX can bring about remission in RA patients…Van Der Kooij SM, 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
PROMPT Study Shows "Window of Opportunity" in Early Undifferentiated Arthritis
Early MTX treatment can delay and possibly prevent progression to RA among anti-CCP positive patients who have early, undifferentiated arthritis... van Dongen H, 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).

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 08, 2006
Steroids May Prevent Lupus Flares in Some Patients with Stable SLE
Intervening with moderate doses of steroids can prevent lupus flares in the subgroup of patients with stable disease but rising anti-dsDNA and C3 levels...

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...

Wednesday Nov 01, 2006
Genzyme to Challenge Medicare Code and Reimbursement Decision for Synvisc
Genzyme Corporation, one of the world's leading biotechnology companies, announced that it will work with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), government officials and, if necessary, through legal channels to dispute a CMS decision to group all viscosupplementation products into a single reimbursement code.

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).

Wednesday Oct 25, 2006
NSAIDs/DMARDs Can Thwart Antibiotic-Refractory Lyme Arthritis
Report highlights effective postantibiotic strategies for treating antibiotic-refractory Lyme arthritis and identifies risk factors for the rare but vexing condition... Steere AC, Angelis SM. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54:3079-3086

Monday Oct 23, 2006
Etanercept/MTX Uncouple Inflammation and Joint Destruction in RA
RA patients treated with etanercept plus methotrexate have less radiographic progression of joint damage than patients who take either drug alone, even if they continue to have inflammation or other makers of active disease....

Thursday Oct 19, 2006
Conventional strength training program has little effect on knee OA progression
Conventional strength training exercises have little effect on progression of knee osteoarthritis... Mikesky AE, et al. Arthritis Care & Research 2006;55:690-693.

Thursday Oct 12, 2006
MRI Predicts Which Children with Monoarthritis Will Develop Aggressive Disease
MRI scans of clinically unaffected knees in children with monoarthritis can predict who will develop widespread joint disease within the next year... Gardner-Medwin JM, et al. J Rheumatol. 2006; 15 Sept; [Epub ahead of print]

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
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.

Tuesday Sep 26, 2006
Can-Fite BioPharma Licenses Its A(3) Adenosine Receptor Agonist (CF101) to Seikagaku to Develop and Market in Japan for Inflammatory diseases
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 (A3AR) agonists with potent activities in inflammation and cancer, announced that it has signed an exclusive license agreement with a Japanese research-based pharmaceutical company, Seikagaku Corporation, to develop and market its lead orally bioavailable A3AR agonist, CF101 (1-deoxy-1-(6-[([3-iodophenyl] methyl) amino]-9H-purin-9-yl)-N-methyl-β-d-ribofuranuronamide), in Japan for the treatment of inflammatory indications including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) but not including ophthalmic indications.

Monday Sep 25, 2006
Rituximab Quickly Reduces Disease Activity in Treatment-Resistant RA
Rituximab added to methotrexate significantly reduces disease activity in patients whose RA is resistant to TNF inhibitors... Cohen SB, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54:2793-2806.

Thursday Sep 21, 2006
Abatacept Should Not be Used with Etanercept to Treat RA
The combination of etanercept and abatacept increased serious adverse effects and provided little clinical benefit for patients with RA... Weinblatt M, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2006;25 August 2006 [Epub ahead of print]

Tuesday Sep 19, 2006
TNF Inhibitors Do Not Increase Cancer Risk More Than MTX in RA Patients
A study of 1152 RA patients who used biologics and 7306 treated with methotrexate concludes that the risk of cancer is about the same in both groups, once RA disease severity is considered. Setoguchi S, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54:2757-2764.

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].

Tuesday Sep 12, 2006
CNS Uses p38, TNFα  to Upregulate Joint Inflammatory Responses
The p38 MAP kinase links the central nervous system and peripheral responses via a pathway that includes TNF-α. Blocking those communications within the spinal cord by intrathecal administration of either a p38 inhibitor or etanercept dramatically reduces swelling, synovial inflammation, and joint destruction in an animal model of RA.... 

Monday Sep 11, 2006
Small, Portable In-Office MRI Can Monitor Response to Therapy in RA
As RA treatments become more effective and expensive, monitoring response to therapy becomes more important. Two new studies suggest that small, portable MRI devices might help...

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]

Tuesday Sep 05, 2006
Medarex and GenPat77 to Codevelop Humanized Therapeutic Antibodies Against Immune Modulatory Targets
Medarex, Inc. and GenPat77 Pharmacogenetics AG have entered into a collaborative agreement to develop fully human therapeutic antibody products...

Tuesday Sep 05, 2006
RF Stronger Marker Than Anti-CCP for Extra-articular RA
New data show that RF is the best biomarker for severe extra-articular RA, and the association gives further clues to the causes of extra-articular manifestations in some RA patients...

Wednesday Aug 30, 2006
Joint Distraction May Delay Need for Joint Replacement in Advanced Osteoarthritis
Temporarily stretching knees or ankles a bit to take the load off cartilage and subchondral bone promotes healing, reduces pain, improves function, and might help some osteoarthritis patients defer or even avoid total joint replacement...

Thursday Aug 24, 2006
Does Skipping Breakfast Endanger Your Joints?
New data from chondroitin researchers suggests that low sulfate levels in blood might lead to poor-quality cartilage by causing undersulfation of chondroitin in the joints... Blinn CM, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2006;651223-1225.

Thursday Aug 24, 2006
Apparent Changes in Joint Space Often Due to Changes in the Meniscus
New research suggesting that alterations in the meniscus contribute a large proportion to variations in joint space narrowing (JSN) may have ramifications for how clinical trials of disease modifying osteoarthritis drugs are conducted... Hunter DJ, et al. Arthritis Rheum.  2006;54:2488-2495.

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 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]

Wednesday Aug 16, 2006
Biogen Idec and University of Adelaide Find TWEAK Is a Novel Arthritogenic Mediator; Potential New Pathway in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis Disease Process
Biogen Idec announced studies published in the August 15, 2006, issue of the providing evidence that TWEAK (TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis), a TNF family member, is a novel arthritogenic mediator that contributes to joint tissue inflammation, angiogenesis, and destruction, and may inhibit endogenous repair.

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. 

Monday Aug 14, 2006
TissueGene Initiates Phase I Study of TissueGene-C in Patients With Degenerative Joint Disease of the Knee Prior to Total Knee Arthroplasty
TissueGene, Inc. announced the initiation of a phase I clinical trial of the company's cell-mediated therapy, TissueGene-C (TG-C).

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.

Wednesday Aug 09, 2006
TransPharma Medical Raises $18 Million to Advance Clinical Development of Transdermal hPTH (1-34) for Osteoporosis
TransPharma Medical Ltd, has raised $18 million in a Series C round of financing, led by Argonaut Private Equity and including an additional new investor, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, as well as TransPharma's current investors.

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].

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.

Thursday Jul 20, 2006
Actelion's Orally Active Selective S1P1 Receptor Agonist to be Jointly Developed/Promoted with Roche in Autoimmune Disorders and Transplantation; Deal Potentially Worth Well Over US$630 Million to Actelion
Actelion Ltd and Roche have announced that they have entered into an exclusive worldwide collaboration to jointly develop and commercialize Actelion's selective S1P1 receptor agonist, an immunomodulator with the potential for once-a-day oral dosing.  testing.

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.

Tuesday Jul 18, 2006
Protalex Raises $15.2 Million to Advance PRTX-100 in Phase II for Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura
Protalex, Inc, announced that it has raised approximately $15.2 million in gross proceeds in a private placement. Investors participating in this transaction include LBI Group Inc, vSpring Capital, CIDC Inc, Emerging Technology Partners, and additional selected institutional and accredited private investors.

Tuesday Jul 18, 2006
Orthopaedic Surgeons Must Learn to Manage Obese Patients
As the epidemic of obesity collides with the skyrocketing rates of joint replacement surgery, orthopaedic surgeons will need to brush up on skills to better manage obese patients…Guss D, et al. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2006;14:425-432.

Friday Jul 14, 2006
Researchers Map the Genetic Substrate of RA
Two new reports on genetics and RA show that a mutation in the PTPN22 gene not only increases RA susceptibility but hastens disease progression and that development of RA is associated with altered expression of disease-associated genes, apparently in response to environmental or other nongenetic factors. Lie B, et al. EULAR 2006; Haas CS, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54:2047-2060.

Friday Jul 07, 2006
Infliximab Resistance, Infusion Reactions Linked to Immune Complex Formation
RA patients who do not respond to infliximab are likely to have infliximab/anti-infliximab immune complexes due to high levels of human antichimeric antibodies, and very large immune complexes may play a role in infliximab infusion reactions....van der Laken CJ, et al. Ann Rheum Dis.  2006; epub ahead of print.

Thursday Jul 06, 2006
Fetal DNA in Maternal Serum Linked to RA Improvement in Pregnancy
Pregnancy-related improvements in RA disease activity parallel the levels of fetal DNA in maternal serum, suggesting a possible vaccine strategy …Yan Z, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54:2069-2073.

Tuesday Jun 27, 2006
Questions About Hand OA Radiography Raised at EULAR
New radiographic standards for hand OA are needed. ...Watt I. EULAR 2006 Meeting' June 21-24, 2006, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Abstract SP0059.

Tuesday Jun 27, 2006
Keep Prescribing MTX, Using X-rays for RA, EULAR Told
Pre-symptomatic diagnosis and better drugs should make RA remission for all a possibility within 10 years...Smolen, J. Presented&nbsp;at: EULAR 2006, 21-24 June 2006, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Tuesday Jun 27, 2006
Ultrasound Recommended for Long-Term Monitoring of RA Treatment Response
Ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) surpass conventional radiography for detecting clinical improvement and regression of synovitis in RA finger joints, and musculoskeletal US provides the most cost-effective routine monitoring of disease activity and treatment response. Scheel AK, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2006;65:595–600.

Tuesday Jun 27, 2006
Entremed's 2ME2 Demonstrates Antiangiogenic Activity in Rat Model of Chronic Autoimmune Inflammatory Joint Disease
EntreMed, Inc., a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing therapeutics for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and cancer, announced the presentation of preclinical data for its lead compound, 2-methoxyestradiol (2ME2), in rheumatoid arthritis (RA)....

Saturday Jun 24, 2006
PROMPT Trial Suggests Prompt MTX Stops Undifferentiated Arthritis Progression to RA
Patients with undifferentiated arthritis who are anti-CCP- or RF-positive are likely to have significantly slower progression to rheumatoid arthritis if treated with early MTX... Van Dongen H, et al. 2006 EULAR Meeting; June 21–24; Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Abstract OP0001.

Saturday Jun 24, 2006
New Imaging Methods Show Ligament Damage Is the First Stage of Hand OA
New, high-resolution MRI and PET imaging are bringing the details of hand OA into focus, and show that changes in ligaments are the first signs of disease... Tan AL. 2006 EULAR Meeting; June 21–24, 2006; Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Abstract SP0060.

Saturday Jun 24, 2006
Doctors Urged to Recognize Toll RA Takes on Patient's Sex Life
Health practitioners should be willing to provide information about sexual aids and positions that will allow patients with rheumatoid arthritis to continue to enjoy a healthy sex life without risking joint pain or damage... Helland Y, et al. EULAR 2006 Meeting; June 21–24, 2006; Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Abstract OP0134.

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
Quick Response to Steroids, Symmetrical Joint Pain Distinguish PMR From Elderly-Onset RA
Clinical and laboratory findings tend to be unhelpful in distinguishing between rheumatoid arthritis and polymyalgia rheumatica in the elderly; instead, the symmetric involvement of peripheral joints and the rapid response to low-dose oral corticosteroid therapy should be considered key diagnostic features of PMR... Salvarani, C. 2006 EULAR meeting; June 21–24 2006; Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Friday Jun 23, 2006
Rituximab Inhibits Progression of Joint Damage in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rituximab plus MTX significantly slows joint damage in RA... Keystone E, et al. 2006 EULAR Meeting; June 21–24, 2006; Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

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.

Tuesday Jun 20, 2006
Abatacept Effective in MTX-Resistant RA
Abatacept (Orencia®) significantly reduces disease activity and retards radiographic progression in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis despite treatment with methotrexate... Kremer JM, et al. Ann Intern Med. 2006;144:865-876.

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.

Monday Jun 19, 2006
Ultrasound Recommended for Long-Term Monitoring of RA Treatment Response
Ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging surpass conventional radiography for detecting clinical improvement and regression of synovitis in RA finger joints, and musculoskeletal ultrasound likely provides the most cost-effective routine monitoring of disease activity and treatment response... Scheel AK, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2006;65:595-600.

Thursday Jun 15, 2006
Intraarticular Steroids May Also Protect Bone
Intraarticular steroids modulate the nuclear factor B ligand/osteoprotegerin system toward a bone-protective effect in inflammatory arthritis... Makrygiannakis D, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54;1463-1472.

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
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...

Monday Jun 12, 2006
Abbott's Humira® Approved in European Union for Severe Ankylosing Spondylitis
Abbott Laboratories announced that Humira® (adalimumab) was approved by the European Commission for marketing in Europe as a treatment for severe, active ankylosing spondylitis...

Monday Jun 05, 2006
PsA Enthesopathy As Cause of Plantar Fasciitis Responds to TNF Inhibitors
The TNF inhibitors infliximab and etanercept are both effective for the treatment of enthesopathy associated with psoriatic arthritis... Ritchlin CT. J Rheumatol. 15 May 2006; [Epub ahead of print]

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.

Tuesday May 30, 2006
Give Bisphosphonates and Teriparatide Sequentially, Not Together
Alendronate reduces the ability of once-daily teriparatide to stimulate new bone formation in osteoporotic men; the two drugs therefore should not be given concurrently... Finkelstein JS, et al.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 9 May 2006; [Epub ahead of print]

Thursday May 25, 2006
Meniscus Allografts Survive, Provide "Shock Absorber" in Severe Arthritis
Meniscus retread might help delay need for total knee replacement... Stone KR, et al. Arthroscopy. 2006;22:469-478.

Wednesday May 24, 2006
Bone-Sparing, Metal-on-Metal Hip Resurfacing System Benefits Young, Active Patients
A just-approved bone-sparing hip-resurfacing system will likely relieve pain and improve hip function among younger, active patients who have good bone quality, but caveats remain...

Monday May 22, 2006
MTX Plus Steroid Injection Into Joints Helps Control Early RA
Combining MTX with intraarticular steroids provides prompt control of early RA... Hetland ML, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54:1401-1409.

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...

Tuesday May 16, 2006
Low-Dose Prednisone Durably Slows Joint Damage in Early RA
Two years of low-dose prednisone slows radiographic progression in early RA and appears to change the course of the disease...  Jacobs JW, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006; 54:1422-1428.

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.

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.

Thursday May 11, 2006
Adding Zoledronic Acid Improves MTX Efficacy in Early RA
Zoledronic acid added to standard methotrexate treatment reduced the progression of MRI hand and wrist erosions by 61% in patients with early RA, apparently by inhibiting osteoclast activity... Jarrett AJ, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54:1410-1414.

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.

Tuesday May 02, 2006
Exercise, Weight Loss Can Reverse Frailty in Obese Elderly
Diet-induced weight loss and exercise training can significantly strengthen and protect obese older adults and should be considered primary therapy in frail obese older patients... Villareal DT, et al. Arch Intern Med. 2006;166:860-866.

Monday May 01, 2006
Abbott's Humira^R (Adalimumab) Receives Positive Opinion From EMEA for Ankylosing Spondylitis
Abbott Laboratories, of Abbott Park, Illinois, announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA), issued a positive opinion recommending approval of Humira® (adalimumab)...

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.

Thursday Apr 27, 2006
Rheumatologists Rely on Swollen Joint Counts When Deciding to Change RA Therapy
Rheumatologists rely on swollen joint count, morning stiffness, and CRP levels when deciding to change RA therapy... Soubrier M, et al. J Rheumatol. 2006 Apr 15; [Epub ahead of print]

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]

Wednesday Apr 26, 2006
TNF-alpha Inhibitors Increase Postop Infection Risk in RA Patients
The first systematic investigation linking TNF inhibitor therapy in RA to postoperative infections suggests that clinicians should consider interrupting anti-TNF treatment prior to orthopaedic surgery procedures... Giles JT, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;55:333-337

Friday Apr 14, 2006
Testing for Second-Generation Anti-CCP Antibodies in Patients With Early RA is Useful for Predicting Radiographic and Functional Outcomes
Anti-CCP antibodies are a useful diagnostic tool, particularly among seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. The presence of anti-CCP antibodies confers prognostic utility for radiographic and functional outcomes... Quinn MA, et al. Rheumatology. 2005;45:478-480.

Tuesday Apr 11, 2006
Leflunomide is an Effective Treatment for Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) and Plaque Psoriasis
Once-daily oral leflunomide is a safe and effective treatment for psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and plaque psoriasis... Nash P, et al. Dermatology. 2006;212:238-249.

Monday Apr 03, 2006
Galapagos NV and Arthrogen BV Enter Gene Therapy Target Discovery Alliance for RA
Galapagos NV, of Mechelen, Belgium, announced that its service division, BioFocus, has entered into a 3-year target discovery alliance...

Friday Mar 31, 2006
Targeted Liposomal Therapy Shows Promise in RA Animal Models
New research in rats suggests that arginine–glycine–aspartic acid (RGD) peptide liposomes that deliver dexamethasone phosphate directly to sites of inflammation show promise in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis... Koning GA, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;34:1198-1208.

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 29, 2006
Synarc Granted Patent for Imaging Device to Increase the Accuracy of Cartilage Measurements by MRI and CT
Synarc, Inc, of San Francisco, California, announced the issuance of US patent No. 6,992,280 for a novel image calibration device...

Monday Mar 27, 2006
EntreMed's 2ME2 Continues to Yield Positive Data in Preclinical Models of RA, Further Supporting the Potential for 2ME2 as a DMARD
EntreMed, Inc, of Rockville, Maryland, announced at the Inflammation and Immune Diseases Drug Discovery and Development Summit held this month in New Brunswick, New Jersey, that daily oral administration (100 mg/kg) of its lead compound, 2-methoxyestradiol (2ME2)...

Thursday Mar 23, 2006
Biomarkers May Identify Early Implant Failure or Loosening
New research is helping to identify early biomarkers of prosthetic performance as well as genetic polymorphisms that predict risk of osteolysis... Presented at: 52nd Annual Meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society; March 18–22, 2006; Chicago, Ill.

Wednesday Mar 22, 2006
Inhibiting Osteopontin May Stave Off Wear Debris–Induced Osteolysis
Inhibiting the bone-specific protein osteopontin may prevent wear debris–induced osteolysis... Shimizu S, et al. Presented at: 52nd Annual Meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society; March 18–22, 2006; Chicago, Ill. Abstract 92.

Monday Mar 20, 2006
Use of Muscle-Derived Stem Cells May Revolutionize Treatment of OA
Due to their regenerative capabilities, muscle-derived stem cells may one day revolutionize the treatment of osteoarthritis, potentially staving off the need for joint replacement surgery in millions... Huard J, et al. Presented at: 52nd Annual Meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society; March 18–22, 2006; Chicago, Ill. Workshop 1.

Monday Mar 20, 2006
Single Injection of GDF-5 May Repair Degenerated Discs
A single injection of recombinant human growth and differentiation factor (GDF-5) may induce recovery of intravertebral disc height... Presented at: 52nd Annual Meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society; March 18–22, 2006; Chicago, Ill. Abstract 14.

Wednesday Mar 15, 2006
New Single-Blind Trial Suggests Potential Role for Combined Antibiotics in RA
Combined antibiotic therapy using intravenous clindamycin and oral tetracycline may be useful in the management of active rheumatoid arthritis... Gompels LL, et al. J Rheumatol. 2006;33:224-227.

Tuesday Mar 14, 2006
Study Associates Meniscal Damage With Advanced Cartilage Loss in Early OA
Meniscal tears and malposition result in cartilage loss in patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis... Hunter DJ, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54:795-801.

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 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
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.

Monday Feb 13, 2006
AnGes MG and Seikagaku End Joint Development Program for NFkB Decoy-Oligo-Based Intraarticular Injection for RA and OA
AnGes MG, Inc, headquartered in Osaka, Japan, and Seikagaku Corporation of Tokyo, Japan, announced that they have agreed to end their joint development program of NF-kappa B...

Wednesday Feb 08, 2006
Etanercept in Combination with Sulfasalazine, Hydroxychloroquine, or Gold Is Safe and Effective Treatment for RA
Etanercept in combination with sulphasalazine, hydroxychloroquine, or intramuscular gold is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. O'Dell JR, et al. J Rheumatol. 2006;33:213-218.

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.

Monday Feb 06, 2006
Archus Orthopedics Raises $35 Million in Series C Financing
Archus Orthopedics, Inc, of Redmond, Washington, announced that it has closed a $35 million round of Series C financing...

Friday Feb 03, 2006
Seal Oil May Lead to Subjective Improvements in Psoriatic Arthritis
Seal oil, rich in omega-3s, may improve psoriatic arthritis patients' global assessment of their disease, suggesting a trend toward a decrease in the number of tender joints, possibly due to seal oil's anti-inflammatory effects... Madland TM, et al. J Rheum. 2006;33:307-10.

Monday Jan 30, 2006
Sales of Abbott's Humira® Exceed $1B in 2005
Abbott Laboratories reported that worldwide sales for Humira® (adalimumab) reached $1.4 billion...

Wednesday Jan 25, 2006
Targeted Genetics Restructures to Advance Anti-TNF-Alpha Agent tgAAC94 for Inflammatory Arthritis
Targeted Genetics Corporation, of Seattle, Washington, announced the restructuring of its operations...

Wednesday Jan 18, 2006
Combination of cDNA Expression Library and Whatman Protein Microarray Technology Led to Identification of Potential Autoantigens in the Pathogenesis of Alopecia Areata
Whatman, plc (Middlesex, UK), and Protagen, AG (Dortmund, Germany), have issued a joint statement announcing that the combination of two promising technologies...

Wednesday Jan 18, 2006
Human Genome Sciences to Advance LymphoStat-Bâ„¢ to Phase III in Lupus
Human Genome Sciences, Inc, announced plans to initiate in 2006 a phase III clinical trial of LymphoStat-Bâ„¢ (belimumab)...

Wednesday Jan 18, 2006
Study Examines Most Effective Way to Give Steroid Boost for Mild to Moderate Lupus Flares
Intramuscular triamcinolone and oral methylprednisolone are equally effective at managing mild to moderate flares in lupus, but triamcinolone may lead to a more rapid response... Danowski A, et al. J Rheumatol. 2006;33:57-60.

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.

Wednesday Jan 11, 2006
Repligen and University of Michigan File Infringement Complaint Against BMS Over Orencia®
Repligen Corporation of Waltham, Massachusetts, announced that Repligen and the University of Michigan (UM) have filed a joint complaint against Bristol-Myers Squibb Corporation (BMS) for infringement of a US patent...

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
Outcomes of RA Patients Presenting with Undifferentiated Arthritis Same as Those Presenting with RA

Since patients who present with undifferentiated arthritis (UA) that evolves into rheumatoid arthritis within 1 year tend to have the same disease outcome as patients who present with RA, a new study suggests that it may be beneficial to treat UA patients with DMARDs... van Aken J, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2006:65:20-25.

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.

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.

Sunday Dec 18, 2005
Etanercept May Be Effective for the Depression and Fatigue of Psoriasis
A new phase III trial has found that the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) inhibitor etanercept not only improves the clinical manifestations of psoriasis but also relieves the fatigue and depression associated with the disease. The findings point to the role higher concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α have in major depressive symptoms…. Tyring S, et al. Lancet [serial online]. December 15, 2005.

Wednesday Dec 14, 2005
Modified Type II Collagen Found to Act as Autoantigen in RA
New research reveals the ability of modified type II collagen to act as an autoantigen in the inflamed joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), possibly contributing to the cycle of chronicity associated with the disease…  Nissim A, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2005;52:3685-3692.

Wednesday Dec 14, 2005
Critical Therapeutics' Fully Human Monoclonal Antibodies Against HMGB1 Demonstrate Efficacy in Preclinical Models of Inflammation; Triggers $1.25 Million Milestone Payment From MedImmune
Critical Therapeutics, Inc, of Lexington, Massachusetts, announced that its fully human monoclonal antibodies against high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) provide significant protection...

Wednesday Dec 14, 2005
Emisphere's Oral Drug Delivery Technology (Eligen®) Successful With Oral Salmon Calcitonin for Osteoarthritis
Emisphere Technologies, Inc, of Tarrytown, New York, has announced that an independent pilot study of daily salmon calcitonin therapy...

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.

Monday Dec 05, 2005
Trials Demonstrate That Earlier Use of DMARDs and MTX Improve Juvenile Arthritis Outcomes 
Earlier use of second-line medications such as methotrexate or disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in juvenile arthritis may account for the improved outcomes that rheumatologists have observed in recent years…  Presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; November 12–17, 2005; San Diego, Calif. Abstract 126.

Monday Dec 05, 2005
Roche and BioCryst Collaborate on Phase I Compound for Autoimmune Diseases and Transplant Rejection
Roche Pharmaceuticals of Nutley, New Jersey, and BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc, of Birmingham, Alabama, have announced...

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 22, 2005
Belimumab Data Show Only Modest Clinical Effect in RA
While belimumab is biologically active, safe, and somewhat effective for RA, the magnitude of its effect may not portend a bright future for the novel anti-BlyS agent... Presented at: 69th Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; November 12–17, 2005; San Diego, Calif. Abstract 1920.

Thursday Nov 17, 2005
Three Novel and Distinct Agents Show Promise in RA
Three promising new rheumatoid arthritis (RA) drugs—including an oral small-molecule inhibitor that targets a novel adenosine receptor (AR) and a new anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) agent—may soon augment the rheumatologist's ever-expanding armamentarium... Presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; November 12–17, 2005; San Diego, Calif.

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.

Wednesday Nov 16, 2005
Osteoporosis Drug Risedronate May Have Disease-Modifying Effects in Osteoarthritis
High doses of risedronate (Actonel®) may protect against subchondral bone loss in knee osteoarthritis patients with progressive joint space narrowing... Presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; November 12–17, 2005; San Diego, Calif.

Tuesday Nov 15, 2005
Thalidomide Shows Promise in Refractory Systemic Onset Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Thalidomide improves systemic clinical features, lab parameters, and joint symptoms in most patients with refractory systemic onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis (So-JIA), but caution is urged due to possible neurologic side effects... Badot V, et al. Presented at: 69^th Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; November 12–17, 2005; San Diego, Calif.

Sunday Nov 13, 2005
Targeted Anti-Cytokine Therapies Emerging as the Future of RA Treatment
Although tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) blockade is the new standard of care for patients with moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA), other targeted therapies—including abatacept, B-cell-depleting agents, and anti-interleukin-6 monoclonal receptor antibodies—are emerging to fill the unmet needs of RA patients ... Maini R. Presented at: 69th Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; November 12–17, 2005; San Diego, Calif.

Friday Nov 04, 2005
BeSt Study Reinforces Importance of Aggressive Combination Therapy for Early RA
The latest results from the BeSt study show that initial combination therapy with either prednisone or infliximab resulted in earlier functional improvement and less radiographic damage after 1 year among early rheumatoid arthritis patients when compared with either sequential monotherapy or step-up combination therapy... Goekoop-Ruiterman YPM, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2005;52:3381–3390.

Wednesday Nov 02, 2005
Additional Encouraging Data from Targeted Genetics' Inflammatory Arthritis Program
The trial was designed to evaluate the safety of a single dose of tgAAC94...

Monday Oct 31, 2005
Regular Physical Activity May Strengthen Knee Cartilage
A novel magnetic resonance imaging technique used in a new study suggests that human articular cartilage can adapt to physical load, and that modest exercise improves knee cartilage glycosaminoglycan content in patients at risk for developing osteoarthritis …  Roos EM, Dahlberg L. Arthritis Rheum. 2005;52:3507-3514.

Monday Oct 31, 2005
Meta-Analysis Points to the Need to Customize Treatment for Subtypes of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
With the increased recognition that radiologic joint and cartilage damage occurs earlier in the course of juvenile idiopathic arthritis than originally thought, a recently released literature review underlines the importance of taking a customized approach to treatment of the disease. However, despite treatment advances, researchers argue that there is no evidence-based consensus on the optimal treatment regimen for several subtypes of JIA. Hashkes PJ, Laxer RM. JAMA. 2005;294:1671-1684.

Tuesday Oct 25, 2005
Combining X-Rays and MRIs Can Lead to Earlier Diagnosis of Spondyloarthritides
Combining data from X-rays and magnetic resonance imaging scans may lead to earlier detection of spondyloarthritides in patients presenting with recent-onset inflammatory back pain. Heuft-Dorenbosch L, et al. Ann Rheum Dis [serial online]. October 11, 2005.

Monday Oct 24, 2005
Studies Outline Weaknesses of DAS28 as Rheumatoid Arthritis Assessment Tool
Two new studies add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that the disease activity score-28 (DAS28), a tool often used to determine the intensity of antirheumatic therapy, is not an appropriate gauge of remission in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Monday Oct 24, 2005
Chugai and Roche to Present Phase III Efficacy Data for Tocilizumab in RA at ACR Annual Meeting
Chugai Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd, of Tokyo, Japan, and its strategic partner, F. Hoffmann-La Roche of Switzerland, will jointly present phase III clinical trial results on MRA (tocilizumab)...

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.

Thursday Oct 20, 2005
Novel Hereditary Cartilage Debonding Syndrome Identified
Researchers have identified a new cartilage friability and osteochondral debonding syndrome that may provide insight into cartilage-bone interaction in other forms of joint degeneration ... Holderbaum D, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2005;52:3300-3304.

Friday Oct 07, 2005
Marked Decrease in Pregnancy Loss Seen in Women with Lupus

Largely due to improvements in perinatal monitoring and disease management, there has been a significant decrease in pregnancy loss among women with systemic lupus erythematosus over the past 40 years . . . Clark CA, et al. J Rheumatol. 2005;32:1709-1712.

Thursday Oct 06, 2005
Abbott's HumiraR (Adalimumab) Approved in Europe for Psoriatic Arthritis and Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis
Abbott Laboratories announced that it has received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to market HumiraR (adalimumab)...

Thursday Oct 06, 2005
Regeneron Discontinues IL-1 Trap Program in Adult RA
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc (Tarrytown, NY), a biopharmaceutical company with therapeutic candidates in clinical trials for the potential treatment of cancer, age-related eye diseases, and inflammatory diseases, announced...

Thursday Oct 06, 2005
Human Genome Sciences' LymphoStat-Bâ„¢ for Lupus Fails to Meet Primary Endpoints in Phase II Trial

Human Genome Sciences, Inc (Rockville, Md), announced that its investigational drug for lupus, LymphoStat-Bâ„¢, (belimumab) failed to meet the overall primary efficacy endpoints...

Tuesday Sep 27, 2005
Mesoblast Limited to Start Human Orthopaedic Trial Using Adult Stem Cell Technology
Mesoblast Limited of Melbourne, Australia, a biotechnology company that develops adult mesenchymal precursor stem cell technology for the regeneration and repair of bone and cartilage, has announced...

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.

Friday Sep 09, 2005
FDA Arthritis Advisory Committee Gives Preliminary Go-ahead to Abatacept
A Food and Drug Administration Arthritis Advisory Committee unanimously recommended approval of Orencia®  (abatacept) Tuesday, stating that the benefits of the costimulation blocker for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) outweighed the risks of serious infections like pneumonia and some cancers.

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.

Tuesday Aug 23, 2005
MRI Data Show Etanercept Reduces Spinal Lesions in AS, but Questions Remain
Etanercept therapy leads to the regression of spinal lesions in active ankylosing spondylitis and undifferentiated spondyloarthritis... Rudwaleit M, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2005;64:1305-1310

Wednesday Aug 17, 2005
Elevated CRP May Predict Cardiovascular Disease Mortality in RA Patients
New research augments the growing body of evidence suggesting that the inflammation of RA causes premature atherosclerosis... Goodson NJ, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2005;52:2293-2299.

Wednesday Aug 10, 2005
Abatacept Reduces Disease Activity and Improves Function in RA Patients Who Failed MTX
Results of a 12-month study show that the first in a class of agents designed to block a costimulatory pathway required for optimum activation of T cells may play an important role in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), particularly among patients unresponsive to methotrexate (MTX)... Kremer JM, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2005;52:2263-2271.

Sunday Aug 07, 2005
Biogen Idec and PDL to Collaborate on Three Phase II Antibody Products
Biogen Idec of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Protein Design Labs, Inc (PDL) of Fremont, California...

Friday Aug 05, 2005
RA Patients With High BMI Have Lower Mortality
In a finding that runs contrary to the recognized relationship between increased weight and mortality, a new study has found that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with a high body mass index had a lower risk of death than their leaner counterparts... Escalante A, Haas RW, del Rincón I. Arch Intern Med. 2005;165:1624-1629.

Friday Aug 05, 2005
Targeted Genetics' Soluble TNF-α Receptor Technology for Inflammatory Arthritis Called Promising

Targeted Genetics Corporation, of Seattle, Washington, released clinical data from a small multicenter Phase I study showing that tgAAC94, a recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector, is well tolerated and can be administered directly into the joints of patients with inflammatory arthritis.

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/.

Friday Jul 08, 2005
Weight Loss Reduces Knee Joint Load
Losing just one pound results in a four-fold reduction in knee joint load in overweight and obese patients with OA of the knee... Messier SP, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2005;52:2026-2032.

Wednesday Jul 06, 2005
Radiological Grade, High Global Assessment, and Past NSAID Use Strongly Predictive of Hip OA Joint Replacement
Patients with OA of the hip who presented with a radiological grade of III or IV, a high mean global assessment during the first 6 months, and previous treatment with NSAIDs have a stronger likelihood of undergoing total hip replacement surgery... Ann Rheum Dis. 2005;64:1028-1032

Thursday Jun 30, 2005
Doxycycline Slows Osteoarthritis Disease Progression
New study results confirm preclinical data suggesting that doxycycline can slow joint space narrowing in the medial tibiofemoral compartment in knee osteoarthritis, but the common antibiotic did not affect pain...Brandt K, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2005;52:2015-2025

Tuesday Jun 28, 2005
Botox Injections Improve Symptoms in Patients With Raynaud's Phenomenon
Injections of botulinum toxin type A may accelerate the rewarming process by inhibiting vasoconstriction in patients with secondary Raynaud's phenomenon... Presented at: Annual European Congress of Rheumatology of EULAR; June 8-11, 2005; Vienna, Austria.

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

Monday Jun 20, 2005
Low-Dose Steroids Prevent Bone Loss in RA
Despite its established potential to cause bone loss, the anti-inflammatory effects of prednisolone slow the loss of hand bone density in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis...Haugeberg G, et al. Arch Intern Med. 2005;165:1293-1297.

Friday Jun 17, 2005
Immunomedics' Anti-CD22 Antibody Shows Promise for Sjogren's Syndrome
Immunomedics, Inc, reported encouraging initial safety and clinical efficacy results from its open-label, non-randomized, Phase I/II trial of epratuzumab for the treatment of patients with Sjogren's syndrome (ss).

Thursday Jun 16, 2005
TEMPO Demonstrates Effects of TNF-α Blockade Over 3 Years
The benefits of continuous treatment with etanercept and methotrexate persist for at least 3 years, and, as more patients achieve remission, researchers' focus may turn to determining whether patients can safely discontinue TNF inhibitors...Presented at: Annual European Congress of Rheumatology of EULAR; June 8-11, 2005; Vienna, Austria.

Wednesday Jun 15, 2005
Apratastat, an Experimental Dual Acting Biologic Agent Shows Early Promise for RA
A novel, oral, small-molecule dual inhibitor of TNF-α-converting enzyme and matrix metalloproteinases has been shown in early trials to target two of the factors known to cause inflammation in RA... Fleischmann R, et al. Presented at: Annual European Congress of Rheumatology of EULAR; June 8-11, 2005; Vienna, Austria.

Wednesday Jun 15, 2005
Alefacept in Combination With Methotrexate Evaluated for the Treatment of Psoriatic Arthritis
A 6-month study of the memory T cell suppressor alefacept suggests that the agent will be an effective tool in the armamentarium against PsA... Presented at: Annual European Congress of Rheumatology of EULAR; June 8-11, 2005; Vienna, Austria.

Wednesday Jun 15, 2005
Etanercept Expands PsA Indication to Include Improvement of Physical Function
Amgen Inc and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded the marketing approval of Enbrel® (etanercept) to include the improvement of physical function in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

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.

Saturday Jun 11, 2005
Methotrexate Together With Folic Acid Slashes Cardiovascular Risk in RA Patients
Study highlights cardioprotective role for MTX plus folic acid in RA and identifies disease activity as an important risk factor for heart disease...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.

Thursday Jun 09, 2005
Abatacept Inhibits Structural Damage in RA Patients with Inadequate Response to Methotrexate
New studies help define and clarify potential niche for costimulation blockade in autoimmunity...Presented at: Annual European Congress of Rheumatology of EULAR; June 8-11, 2005; Vienna, Austria.

Tuesday Jun 07, 2005
Radiographic Assessment Effective in Predicting Progression of Hip Osteoarthritis
A Kellgren and Lawrence score of 2 or higher at baseline is a strong predictor for progression of hip OA, particularly in patients with hip pain...Reijman M, et al. BMJ. 2005;330:1183-1188.

Monday Jun 06, 2005
Trials Outline Effective Strategies for the Use of Existing Therapies in Ankylosing Spondylitis
Four new studies highlight ways to use non-steroidals, biologics, and methotrexate in ankylosing spondylitis. Marzo-Ortega H, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2005 May 26; [Epub ahead of print].

Thursday Jun 02, 2005
Anti-TNF Blockade Modulates Androgen Production in Rheumatoid Arthritis
A new study links TNF to a deficiency in the production of the androgen DHEA in the synovial tissue of rheumatoid arthritis patients, and demonstrates that TNF inhibitors can reverse this effect...Weidler C, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2005;52:1721-1729.

Thursday May 26, 2005
African-American and Hispanic Osteoarthritis Patients Less Likely Than Caucasians to Undergo Knee Replacement Surgery
These minority populations are significantly less likely to consider knee arthroplasty compared with their Caucasian counterparts regardless of health status, a finding that researchers attribute to differences in the perception of benefit, trust in the physician, and personal experience with the procedure...Suarez-Almazor ME, et al. Arch Intern Med. 2005;165:1117-1124.

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 17, 2005
Infliximab Approved for Treatment of Psoriatic Arthritis
Infliximab joins etanercept as an anti-TNF-α treatment option for patients with active psoriatic arthritis...FDA approves Remicade® for ninth indication: psoriatic arthritis [press release]. Malvern, Pa: Centocor, Inc; May 17, 2005.

Thursday May 12, 2005
Arakis RA Drug Completes Phase IIa Trial
Arakis Ltd announced that in a multicenter Phase IIa, placebo-controlled study, its candidate rheumatoid arthritis compound AD 452, a novel small-molecule cytokine modulator, demonstrated acceptable pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability in RA patients already receiving methotrexate.

Monday May 09, 2005
Synarc Introduces A New Assay for a Biochemical Marker of Cartilage Degradation
New data on Syncart (HELIX-II; Synarc Inc), a competitive polyclonal enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) designed to measure the urinary degradation fragment of type II collagen, were published in a recent edition of Arthritis and Rheumatism.

Friday May 06, 2005
Use of DMARDs and Referral to Rheumatologists Too Low in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
A pre-biologic therapy era population study in British Columbia suggests that too few physicians are adhering to treatment guidelines for rheumatoid arthritis for early and aggressive intervention, delaying the "window of opportunity" when effective therapy can induce radiographic regression... Lacaille D, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2005;53:241-248.

Thursday May 05, 2005
Etanercept May Not Be Optimal for Treatment of Systemic Onset JRA
New results showing that more than 50% of SOJRA patients have a poor or limited response to etanercept suggest that alternative therapies are needed...Kimura Y, et al. J Rheumatol. 2005;32:935-942.

Monday May 02, 2005
Vitamin D and Calcium May Not Be Effective for Preventing Fractures
Taken together, two studies suggest an earlier role for antiresorptive drugs in fracture prevention...Grant AM, Anderson FH. Lancet. April 28, 2005; [Epub ahead of print].

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.

Thursday Apr 14, 2005
Investigational New Drug Application Filed for Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator
TAP Pharmaceutical Products submitted an investigational new drug application to the US Food & Drug Administration to evaluate LGD2941, a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM), as a potential new therapy for the treatment of osteoporosis and frailty, triggering a $1.5 million milestone payment to Ligand Pharmaceuticals, the drug's developer.

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.

Tuesday Apr 12, 2005
Limited Dose Increase Effective in Patients Initially Unresponsive to Infliximab
RA patients who show an insufficient clinical response to 3 mg/kg infliximab every 8 weeks can benefit from a limited dose increase of 100 mg from week 30 onward... Durez P, et al. Rheumatology. 2005;44:465-468.

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.

Wednesday Apr 06, 2005
Study Links TNF Inhibitors to Dermatologic Problems in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
Although a causative relationship has yet to be established, the new data put physicians on alert for a "less than major complication" Flendrie M, et al. Arthritis Res Ther. 2005;7:666-676.

Friday Apr 01, 2005
Injectable Capsaicin Formulation Safe and Effective in Knee Osteoarthritis Patients
In the search for alternatives to coxibs, traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and opioid analgesics, preliminary data suggest that injectable capsaicin is safe and well tolerated in patients with osteoarthritic knee pain, without the side effects of systemic treatments...Presented at: 24th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Pain Society; March 30-April 2, 2005; Boston, Mass.

Thursday Mar 31, 2005
Lidocaine Patch May Be as Effective as Oral Medications for Improving Osteoarthritis Pain
As physicians seek alternatives to coxibs, traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opioids, a new study suggests that lidocaine patches may play a role in treating localized knee pain due to OA...Galer B, et al. Presented at: 24th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Pain Society; March 30-April 2, 2005; Boston, Massachusetts.

Wednesday Mar 30, 2005
Cognitive-Behavioral Program Helps OA Patients Feel and Function Better
A self-management program that teaches goal setting, self-relaxation, and other behavioral measures improves pain and self-reported function in Dutch cohort... Heuts PH, et al. J Rheumatol 2005;32:543-549.

Wednesday Mar 23, 2005
IL-1 Blocker Anakinra Safe and Effective in Small Study of Severe Lupus Arthritis Patients
Accumulating evidence suggests that anakinra may find a niche in IL-1-driven diseases such as juvenile arthritis, adult onset Still's disease, and severe lupus arthritis...Ostendorf B, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2005;64:630-633.

Monday Mar 21, 2005
KaloBios Raises $20 million to Advance Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis
KaloBios Pharmaceuticals Inc, of Palo Alto, California, a privately held company devoted to the discovery and development of therapeutic antibodies and proteins, announced that it has raised $20 million in its Series B round of financing.

Monday Mar 14, 2005
Alantos Pharmaceuticals Acquires Funding to Develop MMP-13 Inhibitors
Preclinical studies of novel matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) inhibitors, which target the predominant collagenase involved in degradation of articular cartilage, demonstrate their promise as therapeutic agents for patients with osteoarthritis (OA), according to researchers at Alantos Pharmaceuticals, of Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Monday Mar 14, 2005
Hyaluronate Injection Improves Function of Arthritic Ankle
Investigator-initiated pilot study indicates that sodium hyaluronate provides sustained relief of pain and improved function in patients suffering from osteoarthritis of the ankle...72nd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; February 23-27, 2005; Washington, DC.

Monday Mar 14, 2005
Novel Estrogenic Agonist May Suppress Inflammation
Preclinical and Phase I data suggest that an estrogen receptor beta-agonist, ERB-041, may have potent anti-inflammatory properties without classic estrogenic effects...American College of Rheumatology 2005 Innovative Therapies in Autoimmune Disease Meeting, Washington, DC, March 4-6, 2005.

Sunday Mar 13, 2005
Markers of Systemic Inflammation May Be Independent Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Death in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis
A new study indicates that ESR may be predictive of CV mortality and suggests that tighter control of inflammation may help improve long-term outcomes for RA patients...Maradit-Kremers H, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2005;52:722-732.

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].

Sunday Mar 06, 2005
Oral Formulation of a Small Molecule Kinase Inhibitor in Phase I Study for Rheumatoid Arthritis
A Phase I clinical trial has been initiated to study the safety and pharmacokinetics of a novel candidate drug for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), R406, an orally administered small molecule syk kinase inhibitor that blocks both IgG and IgE activation of mast cells, macrophages, and B cells.

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.

Monday Feb 28, 2005
New Minimally Invasive Knee Arthroplasty Techniques Present Promise, Challenges
Direct-to-consumer marketing has spurred patient demand for minimally invasive joint replacements, but widespread application of these procedures is limited by a lack of experienced surgeons and of data supporting their use... The 72nd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; February 23-27, 2005; Washington, DC.

Friday Feb 25, 2005
Outpatient Arthroplasty May Become the Standard of Care
With minimally invasive surgical techniques, an increasing number of total joint replacement procedures can be performed on an outpatient basis...72nd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; February 23, 2005

Friday Feb 25, 2005
Obese and Overweight Patients Tend to Gain Weight After Lower Extremity Arthroplasty
A new study counters the assumption that obese and overweight patients with hip or knee arthritis will lose weight after arthroplasty...72nd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, February 23-27, 2005.

Friday Feb 25, 2005
New Findings Show Improved Outcomes With Arthroscopic Shoulder Stabilization
A new military study shows that arthroscopic shoulder stabilization performed through puncture wounds yields similar results with fewer complications and less operative time than traditional open surgery ... 72nd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; February 23, 2005.

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
FDA Advisory Panel Votes to Keep Pfizer COX-2 Inhibitors Celecoxib and Valdecoxib on the Market
An FDA advisory panel concluded today that while safety concerns clearly exist with celecoxib and valdecoxib, their overall benefits outweigh potential CV risks... 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
Public Outcry Over Embattled Pain Relievers at FDA Advisory Panel Hearing
Some called for the withdrawal of all coxibs, while others pleaded for a return of the withdrawn rofecoxib (Vioxx) during public testimony at the FDA advisory meeting... US FDA Joint Meeting of the Arthritis Advisory Committee and the Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee; February 17, 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.

Friday Feb 18, 2005
European Medicines Agency Calls Cardiovascular Risk a Class Effect of Coxibs
EMEA calls for stricter labeling and restricted use for COX-2 inhibitors... will the FDA follow suit?  EMEA press release. London, UK; 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.

Thursday Feb 17, 2005
FDA Whistleblower Cites Unpublished Data on Dose-Dependent Cardiovascular Risk of Coxibs
The FDA advisory panel on COX-2 inhibitors heard testimony today from a leading voice in the movement to restrict their use... US FDA Joint Meeting of the Arthritis Advisory Committee and the Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee; February 16, 2005.

Monday Jan 31, 2005
Genetic Discovery May Lead to New Lupus Treatments
Two newly discovered genes may help lupus researchers crack the interferon code, leading to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of SLE and to novel drug targets... Sigurdsson S, et al. Am J Hum Genet. 2005;18:76-79.

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.

Tuesday Dec 21, 2004
SLE Patients Treated with TNF-ÃŽalpha Blockade Show Improvement
Study indicates that TNF-alpha blocker may reduce SLE disease activity in patients' joints and kidneys, without serious adverse events; need for larger clinical trials cited... Aringer M, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2004;50: 3161-3169.

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 16, 2004
Long-Term, High-Intensity Aerobic Exercise May Benefit the Joints of the Feet
Contrary to the perception that an intensive, weight-bearing exercise regimen increases the rate of radiological joint damage of the hands and feet in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, a Dutch study suggests that a long-term, high-intensity program that results in improvement in aerobic fitness and involves 'impact-generating' activities may in fact have a protective effect on the joints of the feet. DeJong Z, et al. Ann Rheum Dis . 2004;63:1399-1405.

Wednesday Oct 27, 2004
Anti-TNF Drugs Appear to Show Benefits in Most Ankylosing Spondylitis Patients and May Also Improve Psoriatic Arthritis
Recent study findings indicate that ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis may respond well to infliximab, etanercept, and adalimumab... Rudwaleit M, Sieper J… Z Rheumatol. 2004;63:193-202.

Wednesday Oct 27, 2004
Anti-TNF Drugs Appear to Show Benefits in Most Ankylosing Spondylitis Patients – and May Also Improve Psoriatic Arthritis
Recent study findings indicate that ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis may respond well to infliximab, etanercept, and adalimumab... Rudwaleit M, Sieper J… Z Rheumatol. 2004;63:193-202.

Friday Oct 22, 2004
Research Shows Benefits of TNF-α Blockers in Treating Ankylosing Spondylitis
Studies involving etanercept, infliximab, and adalimumab consistently show long-term benefits with regard to disease activity, function, and spinal mobility... Davis JC, et al. Presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; October 20, 2004; San Antonio, Tex.

Friday Oct 22, 2004
Research Shows Benefits of TNF-α Blockers in Treating Ankylosing Spondylitis

Studies involving etanercept, infliximab, and adalimumab consistently show long-term benefits with regard to disease activity, function, and spinal mobility... Davis JC, 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
Treating Early and in Combination May Lessen Damage in Rheumatoid Arthritis
An emerging body of clinical evidence supports the concept that combination therapy with an antitumor necrosis factor-α agent and methotrexate brings symptomatic relief and reduces radiographic progression... Breedveld FC, et al. Presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; October 20, 2004; San Antonio, Tex.

Wednesday Oct 20, 2004
Adalimumab Markedly Reduces Psoriatic Arthritis Symptoms
Striking benefits are shown for psoriatic arthritis patients' skin and joint symptoms with adalimumab vs placebo... Mease PJ, et al. Presented at Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; October 19, 2004; San Antonio, Texas

Wednesday Oct 20, 2004
New Phase III Trial With Abatacept Gives Hope to Methotrexate Nonresponders

A phase III clinical trial reported that nearly half of rheumatoid arthritis patients receiving monthly injections of the T-cell inactivator abatacept achieved at least a 50% reduction in symptoms... Kremer J, et al. Presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; October 19, 2004; San Antonio, Texas.

Tuesday Oct 19, 2004
Glucosamine Supplements Show Demonstrable Benefit for Osteoarthritis Symptoms

A newly released report from the World Health Organization documents the disease-modifying clinical endpoints that support the efficacy of this well-known over-the-counter medication... Bruyere O et al. Poster presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; October 19, 2004; San Antonio, Tex.

Tuesday Oct 19, 2004
Oral Contraceptives Appear to Be Safe for Most Lupus Patients
Findings from 2 new studies have potential to reverse previous approaches to contraception for women with SLE …. Petri M, et al. Presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; October 18, 2004; San Antonio, Tex.

Tuesday Oct 19, 2004
Emerging Data Underscore Long-Term Efficacy of Adalimumab in Combination With Methotrexate for RA

Several clinical trials presented at the ACR annual meeting demonstrated that the combination of adalimumab and MTX achieved clinical remission and inhibition of structural damage for up to 4 years... Schiff MH et al. Presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; October 19, 2004; San Antonio, Tex.

Tuesday Oct 19, 2004
Varus-Valgus Laxity Varies by Gender, Ethnicity in Its Association with Knee Osteoarthritis (OA)
The findings from this large epidemiologic study suggest that the causes in knee OA may differ between women and men, as well as between whites and African Americans... Sharma L, et al. Presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; October 18, 2004; San Antonio, Tex.

Monday Oct 18, 2004
MRI Has Modest Predictive Value in Detecting Response to TNF Therapy in Ankylosing Spondylitis

Treatment responders had a higher activity index on MRI than did nonresponders, but the difference was less marked than investigators expected... Rudwaleit M, Listing J, Brandt J, Braun J October 18, 2004, Sieper J. Prediction of a major clinical response (BASDAI 50) to TNF-alpha blockers in ankylosing spondylitis. Ann Rheum Dis. 2004; 63:665-670.

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
Identical Twins Have 5 Times the Risk of Joint Replacement Surgery If Their Twin Has the Procedure

Swedish researchers discover a genetic link for osteoarthritis risk, especially among identical twins, adding to previous findings that did not distinguish between heredity and shared family environment... Lohmander S, Johnell O, Pedersen NL. Poster presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; October 18, 2004; San Antonio, Texas . . Abstract 228.

Monday Oct 04, 2004
FDA Approves Etanercept as Pre-Filled Syringe, Infliximab as First-Line Therapy for Moderate to Severe RA

The FDA has approved etanercept (Enbrel) as a pre-filled syringe formulation for once weekly use, and granted approval for a supplemental labeling change stating that the medication can induce a major clinical response in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In another regulatory decision, the FDA has approved the use of infliximab (Remicade) in combination with methotrexate as a first-line treatment for patients with RA.

Tuesday Sep 21, 2004
Potential Osteoarthritis Biomarker Found
Elevated levels of CTX-II, type II collagen-derived fragments, may be an indicator of the presence and progression of OA.

Monday Sep 20, 2004
Image-Guided Needle Placement's Contribution to Outcomes Questioned

Although image guidance improves the accuracy of needle placement, the practice has not been proven to improve outcomes. (Hall S, Buchbinder R. Ann Rheum Dis. 2004;63:1007-1008.)

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.)

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 Aug 18, 2004
Study Shows that Etanercept (EnbrelR) Reduces Joint Symptoms, Improves Psoriatic Lesions, and Inhibits Radiographic Progression in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis

In a study described in the July issue of Arthritis and Rheumatism, Mease and colleagues found that etanercept significantly improved the clinical symptoms and skin lesions of psoriasis in patients with psoriatic arthritis. (Mease PJ, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2004;50:2264-2272.)

Tuesday Aug 03, 2004
ReGen Biologics Begins Modular FDA Pre-Market Approval Submission for CMI Product

The Collagen Meniscus Implant (CMI) is the first application of ReGen's proprietary tissue growth technology.