A recent Phase 3 study found tofacitinib safe and effective for treating psoriatic arthritis at both 5 mg and 10 mg doses compared with placebo. And the FDA has added label warnings to saxagliptin and alogliptin for an increased risk of heart failure in individuals taking the drugs, particularly in those with heart and kidney disease…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—About two-thirds of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) had mucosal healing by the end of induction treatment with the infliximab biosimilar CT-P13, according to results of the first prospective study to evaluate this. CT-P13 is the first biosimilar monoclonal antibody of reference infliximab (Remicade) approved in Europe and several other countries where…
(Reuters)—Drugmaker Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. said on Monday its experimental drug to treat moderate to severe osteoarthritis pain was successful in a late-stage study. The drug, fasinumab, was tested on 421 patients with a history of inadequate pain relief or intolerance to current painkillers. Fasinumab binds to nerve growth factor (NGF) proteins and block their activity,…
PARIS (Reuters)—France will press its G7 partners this month to launch an “irreversible” process to control the prices of new medicines, part of a global drive to make life-saving drugs more affordable, three sources told Reuters. President Francois Hollande said in March he would push for the international regulation of drugs prices when he meets…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—The anti-interleukin (IL)-12/IL-23 monoclonal antibody ustekinumab improves signs and symptoms of spondylitis in patients with psoriatic arthritis, according to a post-hoc analysis of data from the PSUMMIT-1 and PSUMMIT-2 trials. “This treatment did seem to have a benefit on axial symptoms,” Dr. Arthur Kavanaugh from the University of California San Diego, La…
A recent editorial examined research findings on how low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) in the blood affect bone health, resulting in cartilage dysfunction and the development of osteoarthritis (OA). Authors note that a high-fat diet in mice with HDL deficiency resulted in OA development; thus, they conclude that in patients with metabolic syndrome, HDL may have a causative relationship to OA…
(Reuters)—Health insurer Anthem Inc. on Wednesday said the Obamacare individual insurance exchanges are not as profitable as it originally expected, but it is not planning to exit like competitor UnitedHealth Group. Anthem Chief Executive Officer Joseph Swedish said the company had picked up more exchange customers than it expected during the first quarter and that…
As the need for specialists increases, the Rheumatology Fellowship Program at HHS seeks to grow the number of practicing rheumatologists. Program Director Anne Bass, MD, discusses the program’s ideas behind funding rheumatology fellowships and the challenges of attracting medical students to the field…
(Reuters Health)—People with psychiatric illnesses are more likely to have complications after hip replacement surgery, according to a recent analysis. This added risk is something doctors and patients should discuss in advance, the study team writes in The Journal of Arthroplasty, March 17. Previous studies have linked depression and other mental illnesses to greater complications…
WASHINGTON (Reuters)—U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) called on Wednesday for an end to Obamacare‘s financial protections for people with serious medical conditions, saying these consumers should be placed in state high-risk pools. In election-year remarks that could shed light on an expected Republican healthcare alternative, Ryan said existing federal policy that prevents…