Rheumatoid arthritis drug tocilizumab shows promising results

Further evidence of the benefits of rheumatoid arthritis drug tocilizumab have been highlighted in research published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

A trial designed to assess a regimen of tocilizumab plus methotrexate saw 556 adults whose rheumatoid arthritis was active despite methotrexate treatment divided into groups. Some received tocilizumab as well as methotrexate therapy and others were given tocilizumab and a placebo. There were assessed for one year.

Both groups experienced clinical benefits as a result of treatment with tocilizumab, with encouraging signs after 24 weeks that were maintained for the rest of the year.

About the same number of people from each group experienced undermining of treatment by antidrug antibodies, and a similar number had to supplement their treatment with other DMARD therapies.

But some findings suggested that people receiving tocilizumab as well as methotrexate experienced slightly better outcomes than those who received tocilizumab alone. They had less serious infections and adverse events, for example.

A spokesperson from Arthritis Research UK explains that many biological therapies, such as tocilizumab, are more effective when taken with methotrexate:

“Toclizumab is currently approved by NICE to be used in severe rheumatoid arthritis once the patient has failed on one or more anti-TNF therapy or rituximab,” she added.