Biologics are genetically-engineered proteins derived from human and/or
animal genes. The use of biologics has significantly changed the management of rheumatoid
arthritis over the last decade, becoming the cornerstone treatment for
many patients.
Because the arsenal of biologics for rheumatoid arthritis
includes numerous monoclonal antibodies with various mechanisms of
action, it can be challenging to optimize treatments for individuals.
‘Blood concentrations of biologics can vary from patient to patient and may correlate with therapeutic response. Therefore, the use of a 'one dose fits all' approach needs to be reassessed.’
A new review of the medical literature indicates that blood
concentrations of biologics can vary from patient to patient and may
correlate with therapeutic response. Therefore, the use of a 'one dose
fits all' approach, mainly proposed by pharmaceutical companies, needs
to be reassessed. In general, individualized doses of biologics should
be implemented in clinical practice.
"Since their usage is spreading, the study of factors and covariates
that could relevantly influence serum drug concentrations and exposure
would be extremely useful to better understand and predict drugs'
pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic behavior in advance," wrote the authors
of the
British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology review.
"Moreover, the applicability of population pharmacokinetic and
pharmacodynamic models in the clinical setting would allow us to select
the suitable dose for specific patients at the same time a
cost-efficient approach is considered."
Source: Eurekalert
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