NEWS - FDA approves Actemra (tocilizumab) for RA

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Wall Street Journal

JANUARY 8, 2010, 10:05 P.M. ET.

By JENNIFER CORBETT DOOREN

FDA Approves Rheumatoid-Arthritis Drug

WASHINGTON—The Food and Drug Administration Friday approved a new type

of drug by Roche Holding AG's Genentech unit to treat rheumatoid

arthritis in patients who have failed other treatments.

The approval comes more than a year after the FDA asked the company

for additional data on the drug, Actemra.

Actemra was approved for use in patients with moderate-to-severe

disease who have had an inadequate response to a drug like Remicade or

Humira.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that usually affects

the small joints in people's hands and feet. The condition causes

pain, swelling and can eventually damage the joints. About two million

Americans are affected by the disease.

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Read the full article here:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703481004574647043269341458.html

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