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Found 171 result(s) FROM 1963 pages containing the term 'remission'.
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...
Thursday Oct 22, 2009
For Early RA, Start with Six Months of MTX, then Add Two More DMARDs
ACR researchers report that initial treatment with methotrexate followed by step-up to two more DMARDs if needed at 6 months is as good as adding a TNF inhibitor...
Wednesday Oct 21, 2009
Phase 2 Data Support Pfizer's JAK Inhibitor for RA
Two Phase 2 trials reported at ACR show efficacy of JAK inhibitor now in Phase 3...
Tuesday Oct 20, 2009
Infliximab Plus MTX for JIA
Infliximab plus methotrexate (MTX) bests combinations of traditional disease modifying drugs and/or MTX alone for the treatment of polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis...
Wednesday Oct 07, 2009
TNF Blockade in SLE? The Plot Thickens
Brief therapy with 4 infusions of infliximab plus azathioprine produces relatively safe, durable improvements in refractory lupus nephritis...
Wednesday Aug 05, 2009
Black Box Added to TNF Inhibitors for Kids, Teens
The FDA has expanded TNF blocker “black box” warnings to include lymphoma and other cancers in children and teens, leukemia in all patients, and new-onset psoriasis...
Tuesday Jun 23, 2009
MMF Effective, Safe for Proliferative as well as Membranous Lupus Nephritis
Mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept) may be as effective as, yet safer than, cyclophosphamide for the proliferative lupus glomerulonephritis...
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...
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
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...
Wednesday May 20, 2009
X-ray Stability Lags RA Remission by Months
Radiographic joint damage grinds to a halt only after at least 9 months of sustained disease remission...
Thursday May 07, 2009
Half of Early RA Patients Treated With Combo DMARDs Have No Disability After 11 Years
Treating early RA with 3 conventional DMARDs leads to more sustained remissions and better outcomes than starting with a single DMARD, regardless of what regimen is used after year 2...
Thursday Apr 09, 2009
Rituximab May Help Some Severe Lupus Nephritis Cases
Rituximab treatment that achieves early B-cell depletion in cases of severe lupus nephritis can induced complete or partial remission in 60% of patients...
Monday Mar 23, 2009
JIA Gene Profile Study Shows “Remission” Is Not “Normal”
Gene profile data show that juvenile idiopathic arthritis remission is not a return to normal, but a balance between proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory activity...
Monday Feb 02, 2009
Rituximab B-Cell Depletion Stops JIA
Systemic onset JIA responded dramatically to B-cell depletion with rituximab...
Tuesday Nov 25, 2008
Who Stays in RA Remission After TNF Blockade Stops?
Patients who start treatment soon after RA symptoms appear, and who have increased functional T-cells, higher levels of interleukin-10, and lower levels of interleukin-12 maintain sustained remission even after stopping TNF-blockers...
Friday Nov 14, 2008
Salix's APRISO™ Granted FDA Marketing Approval for Maintenance of Remission of Ulcerative Colitis
Apriso is a locally-acting aminosalicylate (5-ASA) and is the first and only mesalamine product approved by the FDA for once-a-day dosing for the maintenance of remission of UC in adults...
Thursday Nov 13, 2008
Il-6 Blockade Helps Move RA Patients TOWARD Remission
Interleukin-6 blockade with tocilizumab (Actemra®), when combined with conventional DMARDs, safely and effectively reduces rheumatoid arthritis joint and systemic symptoms in patients were not helped by DMARDs alone...
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...
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...
Tuesday Oct 28, 2008
Syk Kinase Inhibitor R788 (Tamatinib fosdium) Achieves ACR20 Response Rates Over 60% in Phase II Trial
The oral Syk kinase inhibitor R788 achieved impressive efficacy in a phase II RA trial...
Tuesday Oct 21, 2008
Centocor Reports Efficacy of Remicade® vs Azathioprine in Treatment of Crohn’s Disease
Azathioprine is not approved in the US for the treatment of CD but is approved in some countries outside the US and is widely used by gastroenterologists and other physicians in the US to treat CD patients...
Friday Oct 17, 2008
UCB’s Cimzia® (certolizumab pegol) Reduces Intestinal Lesions and Induces Endoscopic Improvement in Crohn's Patients
A large study investigating endoscopic improvement in Crohn's disease (CD) demonstrated that Cimzia® (certolizumab pegol), the only PEGylated anti-TNFα biologic, significantly improved endoscopic lesions and induced endoscopic response...
Friday Oct 10, 2008
Understanding RA Relapse After Pregnancy
New research sheds light on why rheumatoid arthritis (RA) tends to become reactivated in the postpartum period...
Wednesday Oct 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...
Tuesday Jun 24, 2008
Nearly Half of Undifferentiated Arthritis Patients Can Achieve Drug-Free Remission After 1 Year of MTX
The chance of achieving drug-free arthritis remission after 1 year of MTX therapy is 46% and is predicted by a negative ACPA status, no or low radiographic damage at baseline, increased age, and shorter disease duration…
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
ChemoCentryx Completes Enrollment of Phase II/III Clinical Trial of CCR9 Antagonist CCX282-B (Traficet-EN™) in Crohn's; Reports Advancing Second-Generation CCR9 Drug
The trial comprises three discrete phases to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Traficet-EN in inducing a clinical response or remission, as well as maintaining response/remission in Crohn's disease over 12 months...
Tuesday Jun 17, 2008
Tocilizumab Plus Methotrexate Shows Efficacy for Anti-TNF Refractory Rheumatoid Arthritis
Tocilizumab plus methotrexate (MTX) looks to be an effective alternative for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with inadequate response to TNF inhibitors...
Monday Jun 16, 2008
Phase III Data Show Golimumab Efficacy in MTX-Resistant, TNF-Pretreated, Untreated RA
Data from the phase III GO-FORWARD and GO-BEFORE studies show that subcutaneous golimumab improves symptoms, function in RA patients after MTX, anti-TNF failure...
Friday Jun 13, 2008
Clinical, X-ray, and Functional Remission Possible in Early RA With MTX-ETN Combo
Etanercept (ETN) in combination with methotrexate (MTX) was superior to MTX alone in allowing RA patients to achieve clinical remission, radiographic nonprogression, and normalized function...
Thursday Jun 12, 2008
Step-Up, Tight Control Abates Early RA in 50% of Patients by 36 Weeks
As many as half of all early rheumatoid arthritis patients may achieve remission within 36 weeks following step-up therapy coupled with tight control...
Wednesday Jun 11, 2008
How to Tell If an RA Patient is Likely to Achieve DMARD-Free Remission Without Biologics
A number of factors identify rheumatoid arthritis patients whose disease is likely to respond to conventional DMARD treatment with sustained, drug-free remission...
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...
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…
Tuesday Apr 29, 2008
Recent Advances in the Management of Crohn's Disease
Biological agents offer advances in the treatment of Crohn’s disease, while surgery and autologous stem cell transplantation may be viable options for patients with severe refractory Crohn’s…
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 10, 2008
Omega-3 Free Fatty Acids for the Maintenance of Remission in Crohn’s Disease
Researchers found that omega-3 free fatty acids were not effective in preventing relapse in patients with Crohn’s disease…
Tuesday Mar 25, 2008
UCB Reports That CHMP Upholds Negative Opinion on Cimzia® (certolizumab pegol) for Crohn’s Disease
The European Medicines Agency Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has rejected UCB's appeal to have Cimzia® (certolizumab pegol) approved for the treatment of Crohn’s disease patients...
Thursday Mar 20, 2008
Merrimack Pharmaceuticals Completes Enrollment in a Phase II Study of MM-093, Recombinant AFP, in Patients With RA
Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc's phase II trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of MM-093, a nonglycosylated, recombinant version of human alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has completed enrollment...
Friday Mar 07, 2008
UCB Reports That Early Data on Cimzia® From WELCOME Study Demonstrate Efficacy in Infliximab-Refractory Crohn's Patients
UCB announced that initial 6-week data from the WELCOME trial show that Cimzia® (certolizumab pegol) is effective in Crohn's patients who are intolerant or who no longer respond to infliximab (INF)...
Thursday Feb 28, 2008
Adult Stem Cells Nearing Clinical Use for RA, SLE, Other Autoimmune Diseases
Adult stem cells offer a safer, less controversial approach than embryonic stem cells to treat various rheumatoid and autoimmune diseases, and are now entering randomized clinical trials...
Thursday Jan 24, 2008
TNFα Inhibitors Can Be Used Again After Treatment of TB Flare
TNFα inhibitors can be safely readministered after either a flare of latent TB or a new TB infection and should be considered an option in patients with otherwise uncontrollable RA...
Thursday Jan 17, 2008
Elan, Biogen Idec Gain US FDA Approval of Tysabri® for Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Crohn's Disease
Elan Corp, plc and Biogen Idec announced the approval of a supplemental Biologics License Application for Tysabri® (natalizumab) for inducing and maintaining clinical response and remission in adult patients with active moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease...
Tuesday Jan 08, 2008
Salix Submits Granulated Mesalamine NDA to US FDA as Once Daily Dosing for Maintenance of UC Remission; Colazal® (balsalazide disodium) for UC Goes Generic
Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd, a developer and marketer of prescription pharmaceutical products for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, announced that it is seeking approval to market granulated mesalamine as a once daily treatment for the maintenance of ulcerative colitis (UC) remission in patients...
Thursday Jan 03, 2008
Step-Down Therapy With Steroids is Feasible and Effective in Early RA
Step-down therapy for early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) including oral prednisolone is not just feasible in daily practice, it is also more effective than a step-up regimen...
Thursday Dec 20, 2007
New EULAR Recommendations on Systemic Glucocorticoids Stress Monitoring for Adverse Events
EULAR has issued new evidence-based recommendations on the management of systemic glucocorticoid therapy in rheumatic diseases...
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...
Wednesday Dec 05, 2007
Drug Update: Infliximab
Researchers offer advice on reducing infliximab infusion times in RA, predicting who will respond, and what to expect in patients with ankylosing spondylitis...
Friday Nov 30, 2007
Drug Update: Abatacept
Researchers continue to argue for the cost-effectiveness of abatacept in treatment-resistant rheumatoid arthritis, but a real-world analysis raises questions about responses in routine clinical use. Safety data show no increased risk of malignancies or infection...
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...
Thursday Nov 15, 2007
New Rheumatoid Arthritis B-Cell Depletor Advances in Phase II Trials
The experimental B-cell depleting small modular immunopharmaceutical (SMIP), TRU-015 has promising safety and efficacy trials in phase II RA data reported at the American College of Rheumatology...
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
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...
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...
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...
Tuesday Oct 16, 2007
Combination Therapy is Better for RA Patients Who Partially Responded to Long-term Monotherapy
Many RA patients who have partial responses to long-term etanercept or methotrexate monotherapy can be put into remission by combining these drugs...
Thursday Sep 13, 2007
Aspreva, Roche Terminate Lupus Nephritis Development Program; Previously Reported Phase III Data Does Not Adequately Support Regulatory Submission
Aspreva Pharmaceuticals Corp announced that Aspreva and Roche have decided not to proceed with a regulatory submission at this time for CellCept (oral mycophenolate mofetil, MMF) as an induction therapy for lupus nephritis...
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...
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
Stem Cell Transplants Offer Hope for Children With Severe, Refractory JIA
Intensive immunosuppression followed by T-cell-depleted autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation offers refractory JIA patients a chance for remission, but is it worth the risks?…Brinkman DMC, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2007;56:2410-2421.
Monday Jul 23, 2007
Birth Defects Reported After First-Trimester Leflunomide
Leflunomide (AravaR) has been reported to cause teratogenic effects in animals and is suspected of causing blindness and cerebral palsy in the son of a woman who took the drug through the first 21 weeks of gestation.
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.
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].
Friday Jul 06, 2007
Chi-Med Announces Positive Phase II Data for Botanical Compound, HMPL-004, in Ulcerative Colitis
Chi-Med, the Hutchison Whampoa-backed pharmaceutical and healthcare group, announced positive results for its phase II proof-of-concept study for HMPL-004 in mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis (UC).
Thursday Jun 28, 2007
RA Disease Activity Decreases During Pregnancy, but Less Than Was Assumed
A prospective study of RA outcomes during pregnancy shows that improvement and remission rates are not as high as previously reported…
Monday Jun 18, 2007
Immediate Switch From TNF-Inhibitors To Abatacept Safe in RA Patients
A washout is not needed when switching from a TNF-inhibitor to abatacept...
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
First Phase III Tocilizumab Data Show Rapid Improvement in RA Disease Activity, Confirming Critical Role of IL-6
Results of the first phase III trial of tocilizumab show that the anti-IL-6 monoclonal combined with methotrexate produces fast, sustained improvements in RA signs and symptoms, including a notable number of DAS28 remissions...
Monday Jun 11, 2007
Centocor's Remicade® (Infliximab) Receives EU Approval as First and Only Biologic for the Treatment of Pediatric Patients With Severe, Active Crohn's Disease
Centocor, Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson and Schering-Plough Corp, announced that the European Commission has approved a new indication for Remicade (infliximab) allowing for the treatment of severe, active Crohn's disease (CD) in pediatric patients ages 6 to 17 years, who have not responded to conventional therapy including a corticosteroid, an immunomodulator, and primary nutrition therapy, or who are intolerant to, or have contraindications for such therapies...
Monday Jun 11, 2007
Abbott's HUMIRA® (Adalimumab) Approved in the European Union for the Treatment of Crohn's Disease
Abbott Laboratories announced that it has received marketing authorization from the European Commission for the use of Humira® (adalimumab) as a treatment for severe Crohn's disease (CD)...
Thursday Jun 07, 2007
Leflunomide Trumps MTX for Preventing Relapse in Wegener's Granulomatosis; Side Effects Still a Worry
A head-to-head comparison of leflunomide and MTX for Wegener's granulomatosis was stopped early due to higher relapse rates with MTX...
Thursday Jun 07, 2007
ChemoCentryx Reports Positive Phase II Clinical Data for the CCR9 antagonist Traficet-EN® in Crohn's
ChemoCentryx, Inc, a privately-held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focusing on discovering, developing, and commercializing orally-administered therapeutics that target the chemokine system, reported data from its phase II clinical trial of Traficet-EN in moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease. Traficet-EN is an oral anti-inflammatory agent that targets the chemokine receptor CCR9...
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...
Monday May 21, 2007
Millennium Resumes Clinical Program for MLN0002 in Ulcerative Colitis
Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc, a biopharmaceutical company focusing on the therapeutic areas of inflammation and oncology, announced the initiation of human subject dosing in an ulcerative colitis (UC) clinical program designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of MLN0002 (a humanized monoclonal antibody that selectively binds to alpha4beta7, a T-cell integrin)...
Wednesday Apr 18, 2007
Death Forces Early Termination of Study of Infliximab in Systemic Vasculitis
Adverse events, including one death among nine patients treated, forced early termination of infliximab trial in systemic vasculitis...
Monday Apr 16, 2007
Abbott Seeks US and EU Regulatory Approval for HUMIRA® (Adalimumab) in Psoriasis; Receives US FDA Approval in Crohn's Disease
Abbott Laboratories announced that it has simultaneously submitted a supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) with the US FDA and a Type II Variation to the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) seeking approval to market HUMIRA® (adalimumab) as a treatment for moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis, the fifth autoimmune disease targeted for HUMIRA therapy in both the US and Europe...
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
Spot Urine P/C Ratio Can Replace 24-Hour Urine Total Protein for Monitoring Lupus Nephritis in Most Cases
A new analysis adds further support to use spot urine protein-to-creatinine ratio, instead of 24-hour urine total protein, to monitor lupus nephritis activity and response to treatment...
Thursday Mar 22, 2007
New Studies Urge Closer Monitoring for JIA-Related Uveitis, TNF-Inhibitors Effective For Difficult Cases
New studies report that uveitis occurs in up to 20% of JIA patients, that TNF-inhibitors may be effective in hard-to-treat cases, and that close monitoring for uveitis should continue even during arthritis remissions...
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...
Wednesday Feb 28, 2007
Abbott's HumiraR (Adalimumab) Receives FDA Approval for Self-Administered Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Crohn's Disease; Represents 4th FDA Approval in Immune-Mediated Diseases for Humira
Abbott announced it has received US FDA approval to market Humira® (adalimumab, a fully human anti-TNF-α monoclonal antibody) as a treatment for reducing the signs and symptoms and inducing and maintaining clinical remission of moderately-to-severely active Crohn's disease (CD) in adults who have had an inadequate response to conventional therapy...
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...
Monday Jan 22, 2007
Shire's LIALDA (mesalamine) Approved by the US FDA for Active Mild-to-Moderate Ulcerative Colitis; the First Oral Once-Daily Mesalamine
Shire plc announced that the US FDA has approved Lialda (5-aminosalicyclic acid (5-ASA), mesalamine) with MMX technology, for the induction of remission in patients with active, mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis (UC).
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...
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
Rigel Starts Phase II Study of Its Oral Kinase Inhibitor, R788, in Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP)
Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc, announced that it has initiated enrollment and dosing of patients with refractory immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) in a phase II study evaluating the efficacy and safety of its lead product candidate, R788, an oral syk kinase inhibitor that inhibits IgG signaling and blocks the activation of mast cells, macrophages and B-cells that promote swelling and an inflammatory response.
Wednesday Jan 10, 2007
Osiris Receives US FDA Fast Track Status for Prochymalâ„¢ Stem Cell Therapy and Clearance to Start Phase III Clinical Trial in Treatment-Resistant Crohn's Disease
Osiris Therapeutics, a leader in adult stem cell therapy, announced that Prochymalâ„¢, a preparation of mesenchymal stem cells obtained from the bone marrow of healthy adult donors and specially formulated for intravenous infusion, has received fast-track designation from the US FDA, expediting the development of the stem cell treatment for Crohn's disease that does not respond to standard therapies.
Wednesday Jan 03, 2007
Shire Receives Label Agreement in Europe for Ulcerative Colitis Treatment, Mezavant (mesalazine)
Shire plc, the third largest pharmaceutical company in the UK, announced that core labeling information, part of Shire's Marketing Authorization Application for the ulcerative colitis (UC) treatment Mezavantâ„¢ (mesalazine, once-daily, high-dose 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) in a delayed and extended release formulation), has been agreed by the regulatory agencies for the 15 European countries (including Germany, France, Spain, and the United Kingdom) participating in the decentralized procedure.
Thursday Dec 21, 2006
Peripheral Sensory Neuropathy in Lupus—Is Vitamin B6 Toxicity to Blame? —Updated
As growing numbers of Americans turn to vitamin and mineral supplements to boost their health, a new case report showing that vitamin B6 toxicity may have caused peripheral sensory neuropathy in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is cause for concern...
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...
Thursday Dec 07, 2006
High-Dose Immune Suppression With or Without Stem Cell Transplants For Systemic Sclerosis
Studies are evaluating stem cell transplantation as a potential treatment for autoimmune disease, however, researchers sharply disagree regarding myeloablative vs nonmyeloablative approaches and whether stem cells are really necessary...
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.
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)…
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....
Monday Oct 23, 2006
Osiris Reports Positive Initial Results from Pilot Phase II Study of its Prochymalâ„¢ Stem Cell Therapy in Treatment-Resistant Crohn's Disease
Osiris Therapeutics, a leader in adult stem cell therapy, announced positive results from a pilot 10-patient phase II study using Prochymalâ„¢, an intravenous formulation of mesenchymal stem cells obtained from the bone marrow of healthy volunteer donors, for the treatment of patients with moderate to severe Crohn's disease (CD) who had failed to respond to standard treatments, such as steroids and infliximab (RemicadeR, Centocor, Inc).
Monday Oct 23, 2006
Centocor's Remicade® Receives Expanded Indication From US FDA for Ulcerative Colitis: Maintains Clinical Remission and Mucosal Healing
Centocor, Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, announced that the US FDA has approved RemicadeR (infliximab) for maintaining clinical remission and mucosal healing in patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) who have had an inadequate response to conventional therapy.
Thursday Oct 12, 2006
Aspreva Achieves Targeted Patient Enrollment in Phase III Clinical Trial for CellCept In Lupus Nephritis
Aspreva Pharmaceuticals Corporation, an emerging pharmaceutical company focused on identifying, developing, and commercializing new indications for approved drugs and late-stage drug candidates for patients living with less common diseases, announced the completion of the targeted enrollment of 358 patients in its global 117-site phase III clinical trial for CellCept® (mycophenolate mofetil, F. Hoffmann-La Roche) in the treatment of lupus nephritis...
Tuesday Oct 10, 2006
Novogen's Isoflavonoid Investigational Drug for Inflammatory Bowel Disease Enters Phase Ib Clinical Trial
Novogen Limited announced that its investigational anti-inflammatory compound NV-52, an isoflavonoid-based drug candidate, is entering its second human clinical study following the successful completion of toxicology testing...
Monday Sep 18, 2006
Most Stomach Pain in Childhood Lupus Needs High-Dose Steroids, Not Laparotomy
Patients with childhood-onset lupus who present with abdominal pain likely are suffering flares of the underlying SLE and in most cases should receive high doses of corticosteroids—not be rushed to surgery for presumed appendicitis... Richer O, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2006;3 July 2006; [Epub ahead of print]
Monday Sep 11, 2006
Abbott Seeks US and EU Approvals for HUMIRA (Adalimumab) for Crohn's Disease
Abbott announced it has simultaneously submitted a supplemental Biologics License Application with the US FDA and a Type II Variation to the European Medicines Agency seeking approval to market HUMIRAR (adalimumab) as a treatment for moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease...
Thursday Aug 17, 2006
Early Diagnosis of AS: Dr. Rudwaleit Does the Math to Make It Easy
Diagnosing early ankylosing spondylitis in a patient with chronic back pain may be easier with a simple method based on standard tests and symptoms... Rudwaleit M, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2006;65:1251-1252.
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 03, 2006
British Registry Data Show Safety of First-Trimester TNF Inhibitor Exposure, Safety of Later Use Still Unclear
Data from a British registry of TNF inhibitor users suggest that brief exposure to TNF inhibitors during the first trimester of pregnancy is not harmful either to women who inadvertently become pregnant while taking these drugs or to their babies, but raise questions about safety in later pregnancy... Hyrich KL, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54:2701-2702.
Wednesday Aug 02, 2006
Schering AG Obtains Mixed Results From Two Clinical Trials of Sargramostim for Crohn's Disease: Phase III Fails to Achieve Primary End Points; Phase II Meets Primary and Secondary Endpoints
Schering AG, Germany announced results from two recently completed multicenter, placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind clinical studies of sargramostim for the treatment of Crohn's disease.
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
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 at: EULAR 2006, 21-24 June 2006, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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
Experts to Issue Psoriatic Arthritis Remission Guidelines
PsA remission now in our sights, say IMPACT trial investigators at the EULAR 2006 meeting... Kavanaugh A, et al. EULAR 2006 Meeting; June 21–24, 2006; Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Abstract OP0104.
Friday Jun 23, 2006
Tocilizumab Hot New Treatment for Rheumatoid Disorders
The interleukin-6 receptor blocker tocilizumab (Actemra®; Chugai/Roche) emerged at the 2006 EULAR meeting as one of the hottest new prospects for the treatment of rheumatoid disorders... Nishimoto N, et al. 2006 EULAR Meeting; June 21–24, 2006; Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Wednesday Jun 21, 2006
Thalidomide, IL-6 Inhibitors Seen As Possible Treatments in JIA
Thalidomide, IL-6 receptor inhibitors, and genomics were highlights of the overview of JIA presented by Patricia Woo, MD, at the 2006 EULAR Meeting...
Monday Jun 19, 2006
PDL's Nuvion® Humanized Anti-CD3 T-Cell Receptor Antibody Active in Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis
PDL BioPharma, Inc, of Fremont, California, announced that new data from studies of Nuvion® (visilizumab, a humanized low FcR-binding IgG2 anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody) in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis were presented at the annual Digestive Disease Week meeting...
Wednesday May 31, 2006
Phase III Data Show P&G's Asacol® Induces Rapid Mucosal Healing in Ulcerative Colitis
Pooled data from two phase III trials show that mesalamine induced mucosal healing in patients with moderately active ulcerative colitis...
Wednesday May 31, 2006
Synta Initiates Phase II Clinical Trials in RA, CVID for Oral Inhibitor of IL-12 and IL-23
Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp announced the dosing of the first patients in its phase IIa clinical studies of apilimod mesylate in RA and CVID...
Wednesday May 24, 2006
Centocor's RemicadeR Approved by US FDA for Pediatric Crohn's Disease
Centocor Inc announced US FDA approval of Remicade® (infliximab) for reducing signs and symptoms and inducing and maintaining clinical remission in pediatric patients with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease...
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.
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.
Friday Apr 14, 2006
Centocor's Remicade® Designated for Priority Review by FDA for Pediatric Crohn's Disease
Centocor, Inc, of Horsham, Pennsylvania, announced that the supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for Remicade® (infliximab)...
Tuesday Apr 04, 2006
Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Raises $65 Million to Support Continued Clinical Development of Human Alpha-fetoprotein in RA and Psoriasis
Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, announced that it has raised $65 million in a Series E private equity financing to advance the company's lead product, MM-093, a recombinant version of human alpha-fetoprotein (hAFP)...
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.
Friday Feb 10, 2006
Adding Doxycycline to Methotrexate Improves Efficacy in Early RA Patients
Initial therapy with methotrexate (MTX) plus doxycycline is more effective than MTX alone among patients with early seropositive rheumatoid arthritis... O'Dell JR, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54:621-627.
Monday Feb 06, 2006
Shire Submits European Regulatory Approval Application for Mesalazine for Ulcerative Colitis
Shire plc announced that it has submitted Marketing Authorization Applications to European regulatory agencies for SPD476 (mesalazine)...
Wednesday Feb 01, 2006
Stem Cell Transplantation Shows Promise in Treatment-Resistant Lupus
Autologous nonmyeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplantation ameliorates disease activity, improves serologic markers, and stabilizes or reverses organ dysfunction in about half of patients with treatment-refractory systemic lupus erythematosus... Burt RK, et al. JAMA. 2006;295:527-535.
Tuesday Jan 10, 2006
ARMADA Trial Supports Long-Term Safety and Efficacy of Adalimumab and Background Methotrexate for RA
Adalimumab plus background methotrexate is a safe and well-tolerated combination that has demonstrated a sustained clinical response and remission in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for up to 4 years... Weinblatt ME, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. Published online Dec. 16, 2005; doi:10.1136/ard.2005.044404.
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
Synta to Advance Clinical Development of IL-12/IL-23 Inhibitor for Crohn's Disease and RA
Synta Pharmaceuticals of Lexington, Massachusetts, announced that it will focus its clinical development efforts in 2006 on STA-5326, an oral interleukin (IL)-12/IL-23 inhibitor...
Monday Dec 19, 2005
Oral Contraceptives Safe in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Taken together, two new prospective studies demonstrate that oral contraceptives (OCs) are safe in women with systemic lupus erythematosus and may represent a paradigm shift in the thinking and clinical practice of rheumatologists who historically have been reluctant to prescribe OCs and other hormones for these patients…Petri M, et al. N Engl J Med. 2005;353:2450-2461; Sánchez-Guerrero J, et al. N Engl J Med. 2005;353:2539-2549.
Tuesday Nov 29, 2005
Aspreva Reports Success for CellCept® in Active Lupus Nephritis; Completes Enrollment in Phase III for Myasthenia Gravis
Aspreva Pharmaceuticals Corporation of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, has announced the results of an investigator-initiated trial...
Tuesday Nov 29, 2005
Mycophenolate Mofetil (MMF) More Effective Than Cyclophosphamide in Lupus Nephritis
Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), an immunosuppressive agent approved for the prevention of transplant rejection, may emerge as an effective alternative to IV cyclophosphamide, the current standard of care for lupus nephritis patients... Ginzler, EM, et al. N Engl J Med. 2005;353:2219-2228.
Thursday Nov 17, 2005
Study Results Question "Window of Opportunity" Hypothesis for RA
Contradicting a widely held belief about treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), early use of disease-modifying therapy within 4 months of diagnosis had no apparent impact on the disease course... Presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; November 12–17, 2005; San Diego, Calif
Wednesday Nov 16, 2005
Long-Term Follow-Up Results Show Durable RA Responses with Abatacept
Abatacept, the selective co-stimulation modulator of T-cell activation, has demonstrated sustained clinical benefit during 18 months of treatment in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who had inadequate responses to anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (anti-TNF-α) therapy... Presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; November 12–17, 2005; San Diego, Calif.
Wednesday Nov 16, 2005
TNF-α Antagonist Adalimumab Shows Promise in AS
Encouraging results from the ATLAS trial suggest that adalimumab and other TNF-α inhibitors may be effective in reducing the signs and symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis... 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: 69th 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.
Monday Nov 07, 2005
Positive Phase III Results for Remicade® in Pediatric Crohn's Disease Drives Fast Track Designation for Indication
Centocor, Inc (Horsham, Pa.), announced at the 18th Annual Meeting of the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition...
Monday Nov 07, 2005
Abbott's Humira® Demonstrates Maintenance of Clinical Remission in Phase III Extension
Results from a phase III extension study (CLASSIC II) presented at the 70th Annual Scientific Meeting and Postgraduate Course of the American College of Gastroenterology in Honolulu, Hawaii...
Monday Nov 07, 2005
UCB Achieves Positive Cimziaâ„¢ Results in Phase III; Will File in US in Early 2006
UCB Pharmaceuticals, Inc, the North American subsidiary of UCB (Brussels, Belgium), announced that a single 400 mg injection of Cimziaâ„¢...
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.
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).
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)...
Wednesday Sep 21, 2005
Johnson & Johnson's Remicade (infliximab) First Biologic Approved by US FDA for Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis
Centocor, Inc, a biotech unit of Johnson & Johnson, has announced that Remicade® (infliximab) has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration...
Friday Aug 19, 2005
Stem-Cell Transplantation Temporarily Improves Function and Health Status in RA Patients
New research helps delineate some of the benefits and potential limitations of high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation in patients with severe refractory rheumatoid arthritis. Teng YK, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2005;52:2272-2276.
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.
Tuesday Aug 09, 2005
Aspreva Initiates Phase III for Roche's CellCept in Lupus Nephritis
Aspreva Pharmaceuticals Corporation, of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, an emerging pharmaceutical company focused on identifying and developing new drugs and commercializing new indications for approved medications, has announced that patient dosing has begun for the transplant antirejection agent CellCept (mycophenolate mofetil; Roche Pharmaceuticals), for the treatment of lupus nephritis.
Wednesday Jun 29, 2005
EMEA Recommends HumiraR as First Line for Moderate-to-Severe RA
Abbott Laboratories announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has recommended approval of HumiraR (adalimumab) for first-line treatment of moderate-to-severe early rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
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.
Monday Jun 13, 2005
EULAR Report: Developments in the Treatment of Ankylosing Spondylitis Using TNF-α Inhibitors
Studies of low-dose regimens, the effects of discontinuation, and 52-week data from an initial study of adalimumab highlight the results presented at EULAR on the use of TNF-α inhibitors in the treatment of AS...Presented at Annual European Congress of Rheumatology of EULAR; June 8-11, 2005; Vienna, Austria.
Thursday Jun 09, 2005
Trials Examine Efficacy and Safety of B-cell Depletion in RA
Favorable results from the DANCER trial and other studies of rituximab suggest that this anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody may be a promising therapy, particularly for refractory patients... Emery P, et al. Presented at: Annual European Congress of Rheumatology of EULAR; June 8-11, 2005; Vienna, Austria.
Wednesday Jun 08, 2005
Future of Vasculitis Treatments Appears Promising
Experts urge revisiting TNF-α blockade as induction therapy in vasculitis and look forward to B-cell depletion agents in the future...The Annual European Congress of Rheumatology of EULAR. Vienna, Austria, June 8-11, 2005
Friday Jun 03, 2005
Recombinant Version of Alpha-Fetoprotein May Hold Promise in RA and Other Autoimmune Diseases
As a Phase II trial begins, experts are cautiously optimistic that the experimental immunomodulating agent may be safer than existing RA treatments, and that the work may help explain why RA tends to remit during pregnancy...National Jewish Medical and Research Center [press release]; June 2, 2005.
Friday May 20, 2005
Study Provides Clues to the Mechanism of Remission of Inflammatory Diseases During Pregnancy
Analysis of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in pregnant women with rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis may help provide a better understanding as to why certain rheumatic diseases improve during pregnancy...Ostensen M, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2005;64:839-844
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.
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.
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.
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.
Tuesday Mar 08, 2005
Phase II Study of Recombinant Human Alpha-Fetoprotein Initiated in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Alpha-fetoprotein, which is produced by the fetus during pregnancy, is associated with remission of autoimmune diseases during the third trimester, when it reaches peak levels in maternal serum.
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.
Monday Nov 15, 2004
New Approaches Show Promise in Refining Treatment and Assessment of SLE
Autologous stem cell transplant and rituximab show promise in refractory disease, and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate test may be more useful than CRP in showing disease activity... Alexander T et al. Presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; October 19, 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
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.
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
Studies Show Potential of New Agents Targeting Beta-Cell Depletion
A Phase I trial of rituximab, and an initial clinical study of epratuzumab, showed the treatments to be well tolerated and linked to promising responses in lupus patients... Albert D et al. Presented at: Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology; October 19, 2004; San Antonio, Texas.
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 12, 2004
Combination Step-Down Regimen Enhances Disease Control Over Sulfasalazine Monotherapy for RA, Without Adding Cost
A combination regimen consisting of prednisolone, methotrexate, and sulfasalazine may produce more robust clinical responses at equal or lower cost than sulfasalazine alone for the treatment of early rheumatoid arthritis... Korthals-de Bos I et al. J Rheumatol. 2004;31:1709–1716.
Monday Aug 30, 2004
SLE Researchers Encouraged to Use Biomarkers, Surrogate Markers as Study Endpoints; New Research Shows B-Cell Depletion to Have Role in SLE Therapy
(Schiffenbauer J, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2004;50:2415-2422; Looney RJ, et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2004;50:2580-2589.)
Thursday Jun 10, 2004
Early Results of the ReAct Trial Confirm the Efficacy and Safety of Adalimumab (HUMIRA)
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