Olokizumab provides long-term improvements for people with rheumatoid arthritis, says study

A new drug provides improvements in patient-reported outcomes for up to 48 weeks in people with rheumatoid arthritis who have failed tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor therapy.

The study was carried out by Dr Patrick Durez of the Catholic University of Louvain in Brussels, Belgium and the results were presented at this year’s European League Against Rheumatism Annual Congress (EULAR 2016).

Dr Durez and colleagues and multiple sites worldwide analysed patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in patients who were enrolled in a phase II randomised, controlled trail and it’s open-label extension.

Those taking part in the study had active, moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis and had been receiving a stable dose of methotrexate (12.5 -25 milligrams a week for at least six weeks). They were also intolerant to or had a previous inadequate response to at least one TNF inhibitor.

Patients enrolled in the randomized study received one of nine treatments. By week 12, olokizumab-treated patients had improvements in PROs that were larger than those observed in placebo-treated patients and on a par with those seen in tocilizumab-treated patients.

In addition, the improvements observed with olokizumab were maintained to week 48 of the extension in patients who received okolizumab in the original trial and its extension, as well as in patients who were initially randomized to tocilizumab and switched to okolizumab during the extension phase.

Patients who switched from placebo to olokizumab also had improvements in PROs.

The study was sponsored by R-Pharm – a pharmaceutical company specialising in the development of treatments for cancer and chronic autoimmune diseases.

For more in-depth features, interviews and information, subscribe to Arthritis Digest magazine, a popular title that’s published six times a year. Click here for the digital version or tel 0845 643 8470 to order your had copy. You’ll know what your doctor is talking about, what new drugs are in the pipeline and be up to date on helpful products.