Rheumatoid arthritis: Biological therapy other than anti-TNF

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

Evaluating radiocarpal cartilage matrix changes 3‐months after anti‐TNF treatment for rheumatoid arthritis using MR T1ρ imaging

“…The toll of the disease is costly and often leads to physical impairment and disability despite treatment . Fortunately, biologic treatments that directly target early disease pro‐inflammatory processes have improved the outlook for RA patients, but they are not without disadvantages, most notably cost of treatment, potential toxicity, and immune system susceptibility due to impairment of normal immune processes …”

Where are we heading to in pharmacological IBD therapy?

“…PF-04236921 is a monoclonal, fully human IgG2 antibody targeting IL-6 and therefore inhibiting IL-6 induced signaling. It is currently under investigation in phase II trials in patients with CD [33][34][35]. The ANDANTE trial is a doubleblind, randomized, placebo-controlled study that evaluates efficacy and safety of PF-04236921 in CD patients who are non-responders to anti-TNF treatment.…”

“…The ANDANTE trial is a doubleblind, randomized, placebo-controlled study that evaluates efficacy and safety of PF-04236921 in CD patients who are non-responders to anti-TNF treatment. Additionally, BMS-945429 is a fully humanized monoclonal antibody targeting free IL-6 and soluble IL-6R/IL-6 complex [33][34][35]. The efficacy of BMS-945429 was investigated in clinical phase II trials in patients with moderate to severe CD who had an insufficient response to conventional therapy or had failed anti-TNF treatment.…”

Thematic issue: Biologics in autoimmune diseases

“…Based on this background, we assembled this special issue for International Immunopharmacology to describe the molecular aspects of the mechanisms of action of biological agents, discuss the adverse effects and limitations of established therapies and analyze the alternative approaches in autoimmune diseases, such as RA, SLE, Sjögren's Syndrome (SS), and vasculitis. In this special issue, Roccatello and coworkers [1] summarized the biologic agents currently available to treat RA, mainly focusing on non anti-TNF agents. Lutalo PM and D'Cruz DP [2] gave an update on the use of biologics in ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) and provided prospective biologic therapies that might be used in the management of AAV the in future.…”