Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can be defined as a chronic autoimmune systemic inflammatory condition characterized by symmetrical polyarthritis. Typically, patients present with pain, stiffness and warmth of the affected joints. The condition can result in extra-articular features, adding to disability, and may eventually lead to premature death, especially if not treated early and appropriately.1,2 Over the…
Diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) early in the disease process is ideal, because treatments are more likely to be effective and less damage will occur. Guidelines from the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) state that using newer biologic medications, in addition to more aggressive dosing of traditional medications, is…
(Reuters)—U.S. patent officials on Thursday denied petitions by Amgen to review two formulation patents on AbbVie’s Humira (adalimumab), a potential setback in Amgen efforts to market a biosimilar version of the world’s top-selling prescription medicine. In June, Amgen, the world’s biggest biotechnology company, asked the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for the review, arguing that…
According to former ACR President Michael Weinblatt, MD, the future of drug therapies for patients with RA rests in the careful and intelligent prescription of current medications and treatment combinations, as well as better patient access through lower costs…
An analysis by former ACR President James O’Dell, MD, and colleagues shows that rheumatologists may be moving too quickly from methotrexate therapy to biologics when treating patients with RA…
Researchers used T cell transcriptome analysis in a small-scale study, identifying gene expression of specific patient subtypes and finding that expression alteration of T cells may correlate with severity of SLE rather than its presentation…
(Reuters)—Amgen Inc. on Wednesday said it filed with U.S. health regulators seeking approval to sell its first biosimilar drug, which would be a less expensive alternative to AbbVie’s Humira (adalimumab), the world’s top-selling prescription medicine. Amgen said its drug, ABP 501, has demonstrated clinical equivalence and comparable safety to Humira in late stage clinical trials…
Your voice is an essential part of the ACR’s advocacy efforts, and our new Legislative Action Center makes contacting your legislator easier than ever before…
As a practicing rheumatologist, I have experienced the increasing payer and government involvement shaping our evolving healthcare system. New payment models, changes in health insurance coverage, the federal mandate for the adoption of electronic health records and the implementation of ICD-10 are recent changes that have rocked our world. Our patients are also paying the…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Methotrexate appears to increase the risk of recurrent nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a retrospective study. “We have known for some time that several of the immunosuppressive agents used to treat RA and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are also associated with an increased risk of…