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An official publication of the ACR and the ARP serving rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals

Biologics/DMARDs

Arthritis Patients Lack Knowledge about Safe Use of Biologics

Will Boggs, MD  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Many patients with arthritis lack the knowledge to use their biologic treatments safely, researchers from France report. “Some patients are at risk of poorly managing their biologic therapy, especially patients living alone, in a large city, patients with low education level, or (patients who are) unemployed,” Dr. Anne-Christine Rat from CHU de…

Rheumatology Drug Updates: Etanercept for Pediatric Plaque Psoriasis

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Etanercept Submitted for Chronic, Severe Plaque Psoriasis in Children The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the supplemental Biologics License Application for etanercept (Enbrel) for treating pediatric patients with chronic, severe plaque psoriasis.1 The application was submitted in early January 2016 and is based on results of a one-year Phase 3 study with…

Adalimumab Drives Regulatory T Cell Expansion by Binding to Membrane TNF

Will Boggs, MD  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—The anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antibody adalimumab drives regulatory T cell (Treg) expansion in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by binding to membrane TNF, researchers from the UK report. “These results show that adalimumab enhances the anti-inflammatory actions of TNF to increase regulatory T cell activity,” Dr. Michael R. Ehrenstein from University College London,…

Samsung Bioepis Receives Final European Approval for Its Remicade Copy

Reuters Staff  |  

SEOUL (Reuters)—South Korea’s Samsung Bioepis said on Monday its biosimilar of Johnson & Johnson’s blockbuster rheumatoid arthritis drug Remicade (infliximab) has received final approval from European regulators, paving the way for its second product launch in Europe. Samsung Bioepis, an unlisted arm of South Korea’s top conglomerate Samsung Group, also said last week the biosimilar…

TNF Blocking Drugs Persist in Infants after Exposure In-Utero

Anne Harding  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Babies born to mothers who took anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) agents during pregnancy have detectable drug in their bodies up to 12 months of age, new findings show. These infants should therefore not receive live vaccines during their first year of life, Dr. Mette Julsgaard of Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark and…

Rheumatology Drug Updates: Infliximab Biosimilar Gets FDA Approval & More

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April 5, 2016, marks a revolutionary day in the treatment of autoimmune diseases: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved an infliximab (Remicade) biosimilar, known as Inflectra (infliximab-dyyb). Infliximab-dyyb, which is administered by intravenous infusion, is the first biosimilar drug approved to treat rheumatic disease in the U.S.1 Infliximab-dyyb has received approval for almost…

Biosimilars: Expanded Treatment Options

Joan M. Von Feldt, MD, MSEd, FACR, FACP  |  

Soon, biosimilars will be available as treatment options for our patients. Biosimilars are being introduced to the U.S. market in the hope that they will spur competition and drive down the price of these expensive medicines. Previous articles in The Rheumatologist have touched on various issues surrounding these new therapies, and everyone in the rheumatology…

Golimumab Effective as Maintenance Treatment for Active Ulcerative Colitis

Will Boggs, MD  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Subcutaneous golimumab every four weeks provides effective long-term maintenance for patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC), according to results from the PURSUIT-SC extension study. The main PURSUIT-M study showed that golimumab treatment maintained clinical responses through Week 54. For most patients, maintenance therapy for UC is required long term. Dr. Peter R….