Is new arthritis drug – iguratimod – on the horizon?

An arthritis drug approved for use in Japan and China is proving of interest to arthritis specialists closer to home, says a Frontiers in Pharmacology study.

Iguratimod is an anti-inflammatory small molecule drug used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis together with methotrexate.

The drug inhibits the production of inflammatory agents and is good for bones too, stimulating bone formation while preventing bone resorption.

Using iguratimod with other disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs showed significant improvements for disease activity.

“Iguratimod has good efficacy and tolerance as an additional treatment for rheumatoid arthritis patients with inadequate response to methotrexate and biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs,” the authors say.

Not available yet in the UK due to stringent safety protocols, iguratimod is one to watch out for.

Click here to read the original research.

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