Data from a single-center registry shines light on 20 years of trends in first-line, biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug prescriptions for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Biologics in Rheumatology: Revolution & Perspectives
A great deal of progress has been made in the treatment of rheumatic diseases—from glucocorticoid use to the advent of biologic therapies. Gerd Burmester, MD, discussed this progress and the impact of biologics in this year’s Phillip Hench, MD, Memorial Lecture.
Biologic Treatment Recommendations for Rheumatic Disease Patients Who Contract COVID-19
COVID-19 Global Alliance registry and other data on rheumatic disease patients with COVID-19 were presented…
Biologic Spending & Price Trends
Any given rheumatology patient who needs a biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) will spend $22,000–44,000 on their medication each year…
Investigators Assess Infection Risk with RA Biologics
Due to a range of factors, determining the precise infection risk posed by new biologic therapies to RA patients is difficult. But progress has been made and health registries may be helpful, said Olivier Lortholary, MD, PhD, during the 2018 EULAR: Annual European Congress of Rheumatology…
Ustekinumab Has Longer Efficacy Duration than TNFIs for Plaque Psoriasis
When compared with TNFIs, ustekinumab demonstrated a longer drug survival rate in patients with severe plaque psoriasis…
When Starting Biologics for RA, Disease Severity Predicts Likelihood of Remission
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—After starting biologic therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), patients with higher disease activity at baseline achieved greater improvements in measures of disease activity than those with lower levels of disease, but they were less likely to achieve remission or even low disease activity, according to a new real world analysis of registry data….
Physician’s Choice: Factors That Influence First- & Second-Line Biologic Therapy in RA Patients
In patients with RA, age and higher rates of comorbidity are influential in selecting and changing treatments…
U.S. Supreme Court Declines to Hear Biologic Drug Patent Fight
WASHINGTON (Reuters)—The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a case over whether companies that make copycat versions of biologic drugs must wait six months after winning federal approval before bringing them to the market. The justices opted not to take up Apotex Inc.’s appeal of a July federal appeals court ruling that could…
Hidradenitis Suppurativa Can Complicate Biologic Therapy
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Hidradenitis suppurativa can complicate biologic therapy of chronic inflammatory diseases, according to a retrospective study from France and Belgium. Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) often responds to treatment with biologic agents, but there have been scattered reports of patients developing HS while undergoing biologic therapy. Dr. Coline Faivre from Hôpital Edouard Herriot in Lyon,…