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…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—The combination of methotrexate, sulphasalazine and hydroxychloroquine is similar in effect as methotrexate plus biologic therapy for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a new network meta-analysis. “Thus, for most patients, this low-cost combination of medications should probably be tried before moving onto biologic therapy, either as initial treatment or as…
Two studies have shown that romosozumab is effective for increasing bone mineral density in both men and women with osteoporosis. And due to safety concerns, Janssen has dropped out of clinical trials for fulranumab, which is being studied to treat OA pain…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—The investigational drug abaloparatide may help postmenopausal women increase their bone mineral density (BMD) and reduce their risk of fracture, new industry research suggests. “What was surprising and very important about this study was that, although some drugs for osteoporosis don’t work across all patient subgroups, abaloparatide provided persistent protection against fracture…
Clinical trials have begun to determine if disodium zoledronate tetrahydrate is safe and effective for treating pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis. The FDA has approved the use of ixekizumab for the treatment of plaque psoriasis. And a study has shown that patients with SLE treated with belimumab may be able to decrease steroid use…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Sifalimumab, an anti-interferon alpha monoclonal antibody, may lead to some improvement in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to a new trial. In a paper online on March 23 in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, Dr. Munther Khamashta of King’s College London and colleagues note that treatment of SLE presents a…