Drug Appears Effective Against Arthritis

[Guest guest]

Drug

Appears Effective Against Arthritis

June 17, 2004

BOSTON (AP) -- For the first time, a drug has relieved

rheumatoid arthritis by knocking out a certain type of immune cell -- an

approach that could open the way for precisely targeted, " smart "

treatments for the joint disease and other illnesses, too.

Other arthritis drugs on the market either

treat just the symptoms, or employ a broader, more scattershot effect against

the underlying process. Such drugs can have toxic side effects because they

kill healthy cells along with the diseased ones.

The latest research, an international study

led at University College London and published in Thursday's New England

Journal of Medicine, looked at a drug called rituximab,

and the results were promising.

" I think this is a pivotal study, "

said Dr. Klippel, president of the Arthritis

Foundation. " This is opening up a new era of targeted biologic therapies

for rheumatoid arthritis. "

In rheumatoid arthritis, antibodies

misdirect friendly fire against the body's own joint linings. Joints become

inflamed, swollen and painful. More than 2 million Americans, mostly women,

have the disease.

Rituximab, which is sold under the brand name Rituxan

and is already approved for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, targets B cells, which

manufacture these antibodies.

The researchers compared rituximab

to other drugs in 161 patients with arthritis.

For two weeks, patients took rituximab alone or in combination with two other drugs:

the standard drug, methotrexate, and the less

widely used cyclophosphamide. Another group took methotrexate alone. Roche, a distributor of rituximab, funded and participated in the study.

After six months, more than 40 percent of

patients who took rituximab combinations were

greatly improved. One-third of patients on rituximab

alone were greatly improved. But only 13 percent of those on the standard

drug alone improved that much.

" One of the things that is truly unique is that a very short course ... appears to

have a very long-lasting effect, " Klippel

said.

Some doctors, including the study's authors,

said rituximab needs more testing before any

widespread use. They said other B-cell-killing drugs are under development

and could eventually outperform rituximab.

Researchers are also testing similar

targeted approaches against lupus, multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune

diseases.

Both methotrexate

and cyclophosphamide are sometimes employed as

chemotherapy drugs and attack a broader range of tissue than rituximab. The newer drug kills close to 90 percent of B

cells, which the body then replenishes with healthy new ones.

Rituximab is one of the most narrowly aimed and efficient members

in the modern family of targeted drugs that include the breast cancer

treatment Herceptin.

Of all the tested treatments for rheumatoid

arthritis, " it goes closest to the root of the disease, " said the

study's lead author, Dr. of University College London.

However, the drug could pose a danger of

chest infection, especially if given repeatedly, said. One rituximab patient in the study died of pneumonia, though

it was not clear if the drug was responsible.

Copyright 2004 The

Associated Press. All rights reserved.

[Guest guest]

This is exciting news, isn't it? The cool thing is that I'm going to

London in two weeks and I'll actually be staying very close to

University College, where the study was conducted! I'm planning to go

there to see if I can pick up some more information or maybe even buy

the drug in England.

-Anne

>

> Drug Appears Effective Against Arthritis

>

> June 17, 2004

> BOSTON (AP) -- For the first time, a drug has relieved rheumatoid

> arthritis by knocking out a certain type of immune cell -- an

approach

> that could open the way for precisely targeted, " smart " treatments

for

> the joint disease and other illnesses, too.

> Other arthritis drugs on the market either treat just the symptoms,

or

> employ a broader, more scattershot effect against the underlying

> process. Such drugs can have toxic side effects because they kill

> healthy cells along with the diseased ones.

> The latest research, an international study led at University

College

> London and published in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine,

> looked at a drug called rituximab, and the results were promising.

> " I think this is a pivotal study, " said Dr. Klippel, president

of

> the Arthritis Foundation. " This is opening up a new era of targeted

> biologic therapies for rheumatoid arthritis. "