RESEARCH - Doses of Enbrel do not have to be increased for it to remain effective

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Arthritis Research Campaign

25 Apr 2008

Doses of etanercept 'do not have to be increased to remain effective'

New research suggests that anti-TNF therapy etanercept does not

require dose escalations to remain an effective treatment for

rheumatoid arthritis (RA) over 12 months, unlike infliximab and

adalimumab.

Data presented at the recent British Society of Rheumatology's annual

meeting in Liverpool showed that etanercept was a highly effective

treatment for people with RA over a 12 month period and indicated that

the dose escalation to maintain clinical response was less than one

per cent with etanercept, compared to eight per cent with adalimumab

and 29 per cent with infliximab in the first 12 months.

The study involved 44 European centres which prescribed anti-TNF drugs

to people with RA.

Professor Moots, from the University of Liverpool, commented:

" The results of the … study add to the body of evidence that

etanercept achieves sustained efficacy without the need for dose

escalation in 99 per cent of patients studied and thus demonstrates a

cost-effective treatment option for patients with rheumatoid arthritis

over both the short and long term.

" The current perception of biological therapy for inflammatory

conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis is that it can be costly,

however if the long term outlook and patient quality of life is taken

into consideration, biologics such as etanercept are extremely cost

effective.

" This is important both for physicians and patients as treatment can

be maintained without the concern of rising cost increments. "

The Arthritis Research Campaign pioneered and developed anti-TNF

therapy for RA in the 1990s. The treatment has since has transformed

the lives of hundreds of thousands of people worldwide.

http://www.arc.org.uk/news/DirectNews/Article.asp?ID=18568670 & Year=2008 & Month=4 & \

NameOfMonth=April

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