NEW YORK, June 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — One of the major annual
rheumatology conferences, the European League Against Rheumatism’s
Congress (EULAR), was held May 25-28 in London. Citeline,
Inc., reviewed the trends and highlights from clinical trial
results reported at EULAR, noting that approved biologics in
rheumatoid arthritis dominated the program, comprising roughly 25%
of clinical trial abstracts presented.
Updates from long-term trials for approved biologics in
RA—including adalimumab, etanercept, abatacept, rituximab and
tocilizumab—provided further evidence of sustained clinical
efficacy by standard measures, but also extended to reductions in
joint damage (by radiographic and MRI methodologies), remission
induction and effective treatment of early disease. Of these
approved biologics, tocilizumab trial results were the most
numerous, and included several reports of treatment impact on serum
lipid levels and other cardiovascular-related outcomes.
Citeline’s Senior Analyst in Autoimmune/Inflammation, Claire
Herman, noted that the industry-wide interest in personalized
medicine was evident at EULAR, with an array of abstracts
presenting results from studies aimed at identifying biomarkers and
pharmacogenomic markers as predictors of response to specific
approved biologics. “This research is indicative of companies’
focus on carving out individual niches within this highly
competitive chronic disease arena,” remarks Ms. Herman.
Additionally, a number of these approved drugs’ sponsors
continue to focus on life-cycle management and expanded labeling,
as evidenced by abstracts reporting results from trials of the
subcutaneous formulation of abatacept (ALLOW and ACQUIRE), pivotal
trials for Japanese approval of golimumab for RA, tocilizumab
juvenile RA studies (TENDER), and rituximab combination therapies
results. Trends in Trials for Approved Biologic Therapies in
Rheumatoid ArthritisNumber of ab
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