NEWS - Schering arthritis drug Simponi (golimumab) wins approval in Canada

[Guest guest]

Schering Arthritis Drug Wins Approval in Canada

NEW YORK (Reuters) Apr 14 - & and Schering-Plough Corp

said on Monday that Canadian regulators had approved use of their

once-monthly drug Simponi to treat moderate to severe rheumatoid

arthritis.

Simponi (golimumab) is a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocker, and is a

follow-up to the widely used Remicade (infliximab) treatment sold by

the two drugmakers.

Simponi is awaiting approval in the United States and Europe. J & J has

exclusive rights to sell the new injectable treatment in the United

States. Schering-Plough, which has rights in most other markets, said

it hopes to introduce Simponi in Canada during the second half of the

year.

Canadian authorities also approved Simponi for active psoriatic

arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.

" Simponi is the first biologic therapy to be approved concurrently in

three distinct rheumatologic diseases, " the companies said in a

release.

In one large study, Simponi reduced arthritis symptoms by at least 20%

among patients who had previously failed to benefit from standard

anti-TNF medicines.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/591037

Not an MD