After years of speculation about potential cost savings and debates on safety, biosimilars are about to step onto the stage of rheumatic disease treatment. On Feb. 9, the Arthritis Advisory Committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) met in Washington, D.C., and recommended the approval of CT-P13, a proposed biosimilar to infliximab (Remicade),…
SAN FRANCISCO—A 40-year-old woman shows up in the clinic with scarring alopecia, with an area of hyperpigmentation on the rim of her scalp, extending from just behind the temple to behind her ears. An examination with a dermatoscope shows hyperkeratotic follicular plugging. The case—in this example, the discoid form of cutaneous lupus erythematosus (DLE)—is one…
(Reuters)—A medical advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday recommended approval of a cheaper biosimilar form of Johnson & Johnson’s arthritis drug Remicade (infliximab) that could eventually batter sales of the branded product. The panel, by a vote of 21-3, supported use of the biosimilar from Celltrion Inc. and Pfizer Inc.,…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—The newer disease-modifying drugs for rheumatoid arthritis appear to offer the same or even better cardiovascular (CV) protection than older tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors, hints a large study. “We really haven’t had a good understanding on where the non-TNF biologics and CV risk stand,” Dr. Jeffrey R. Curtis of the University…
Three clinical trials are evaluating subcutaneous sirukumab for safety and efficacy in treating rheumatoid arthritis. And a study found no significant difference in persistence and remission for TNF-α monotherapy when compared with TNF-α plus conventional DMARD combination therapy for treating psoriatic arthritis…
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…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) commonly develop skin lesions related to anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) medications, according to a retrospective study. “We were most surprised by the relatively high percentage (30%) of patients developing skin problems while being treated with anti-TNF agents,” Dr. Isabelle Cleynen from KU Leuven, Belgium, tells Reuters…
New research recommends that doctors test the sera of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis for anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA), as well as closely monitor this population for signs of lung vasculitis…
The German Psoriasis Registry, PsoBest, found conventional systemic and biologic drugs for psoriasis demonstrated relative safety from serious adverse events in patients between January 2008–December 2012…