New Drug To Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis

New drug to treat rheumatoid arthritis was successful in Phase III clinical trial and the testing has been completed by an international research group led by Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin. This drug is effective in patients with moderate to severe disease condition who have shown less response to conventional disease modifying drugs. Results from this research have been published in The Lancet.//

Rheumatoid arthritis is a painful inflammatory condition affecting the joints and tendons, which is typically characterized by periods of increased disease activity.

Rheumatoid Arthritis - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, FAQs
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes pain, swelling, stiffness and loss of function in the joints.

‘New drug for rheumatoid arthritis upadacitinib successfully completed Phase III clinical trial. The drug shows improvement in patients with an inadequate response to 'conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs'.’

Tweet it Now

Prof. Dr. Gerd-Rüdiger Burmester, Head of Charité's Medical Department, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, conducted a study to assess the efficacy of upadacitinib in patients with an inadequate response to 'conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs'.

Upadacitinib is a selective inhibitor of the enzyme Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) and has been shown to be efficacious in this patient group in earlier phase II clinical trials.

By inhibiting JAK1, upadacitinib disrupts an important signaling pathway that is responsible for triggering inflammatory responses.

Fresh Insights into Joint Replacement Procedures in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
Joint replacement rates halved in rheumatoid arthritis patients in the past decade, stated study.

In the phase III study presented, patients treated with upadacitinib showed significant improvements in joint swelling when compared to patients receiving placebo.

Patients also experienced less pain and showed improvements in joint function. Prof. Burmester is very pleased to see this new tablet-based treatment produce such significant improvements in clinical symptoms.

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Early, Intensive Treatment can Cut Death Rates
Early, intensive treatment of rheumatoid arthritis using glucocorticoids has long-term benefits including the normalization of death rates compared with the general population.

"Our results prove that JAK inhibitors represent an effective treatment alternative in patients with long-term conditions who do not respond adequately to conventional drugs, and in those for whom biologics are not a good treatment option.

JAK inhibitors could help these patients achieve a quick response to treatment, allowing them to gain control over their illness.

New Arthritis Severity Gene Discovered
The arthritis severity gene discovery could provide a new pathway for treatment and a way to measure the prognosis of patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis -- the autoimmune condition.

The trial sponsor AbbVie is currently in the process of collating all trial results and submitting them to the European and US regulatory authorities for review."

Source-Eurekalert