Re: Approved for Ustekinumab (Stelara) Study

[Guest guest]

My daughter in rheumatology research has been telling me about Stelara. She is

really excited about this drug for us. Wish I could join you but right now I'm

controlled with Enbrel and even when I'm not in control I test really lousy for

inflammation so they wouldn't want me. On the research front, she says

placebo studies used to go 6 months on placebo but because the biologics are so

good it's now considered cruel to keep people on placebo more than 3 months.

Hope you pioneers get it OK'd for the rest of us. Good luck and please let us

know how it goes.

Janette in Indiana

[Guest guest]

I would imagine that after 1 week, if you do not respond then you would

drop out. I would be concerned big time by this .

Still interesting though.

[Guest guest]

Well, I think that it would take more than one week to know if a drug is going

to work for you. With the other biologics it can take up to 3 months for the

medication in your system to build up to full potency. That aside, these

pharmaceutical companies need willing study participants, as the drugs will

never make it to those who need it without being properly studied, researched

and evaluated. Enbrel, Humira and Remicade made it to market the same way.

Stelara is actually fairly far along comparatively speaking, being in phase III.

Once they get through phase IV, FDA approval becomes the next step and then the

drug is available for general use.

I find myself a little more on the desperate side, as I've not had real good

luck with the biologics currently on the market. I hope that I get the drug and

not placebo at first. I've felt quite badly with inflammation in several joints.

My psoriasis is about 25-30 percent coverage now, as I just couldn't handle the

MTX anymore.

Thanks for your note.

Mark in Denver

[Guest guest]

Hi Mark, while I have no experience with Stelara I do know someone who has. You

should go to the National Psoriasis Foundations website and check out the

message boards, search on Stelara as we have a Canadian member who has been

involved with the trials since they began, I believe it's been like 5 years now

and he had great results his name is Petey and I am sure he would be more than

happy to answer any questions you might have. http://www.psoriasis.org

Good luck to you, hope this will be your miracle drug

Deanna