Not an earth shaking results, but in combination with MTX data are not far away for Enbrel alone.
Maybe there is hope for more potent IL-1 blockage?
"AMGEN Announces Positive Study Results of Kineret(R) in Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease Progression and in the Treatment of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis
Friday October 25, 6:35 pm ET
Late Breaking Poster and Press Conference Featuring New Kineret Data Scheduled at 66th American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting
NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN - News) today announced results from the largest study to date exploring a biologic therapy's impact on disease progression in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Data from a study evaluating the ability of Kineret® (anakinra) to inhibit bone and joint damage in adult RA patients will be presented at a late-breaking poster session. In addition, interim results from an efficacy and tolerability study of Kineret in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) will be featured tomorrow at a press conference at the 66th American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in New Orleans.
"The results seen with Kineret are exciting because they signal that we may have another therapeutic option for slowing the progression of RA," said Dr. William Shergy, a rheumatologist at Rheumatology Associates of North Alabama. "This disease involves a silent destruction of bones and joints which, if left untreated, leads to deformity and disability."
Bone and Joint Inhibition
In a 12 month, double-blind study of 906 adult RA patients, Kineret- treated patients experienced less bone and joint destruction as measured by total modified Sharp score than patients treated with placebo plus methotrexate. The mean change in Sharp score was 36 percent lower for Kineret than placebo at week 52 of the study (p<0.001). The effect of Kineret was evident early, with significant inhibition of disease progression by week 24. At week 52, 50 percent Kineret patients had no disease progression compared with 42 percent of placebo patients (p=0.018), and fewer Kineret patients had severe disease progression than placebo patients (12 percent vs. 19 percent, p=0.003). A reduction in progression was seen in joint erosion and joint space narrowing, two important measures of the debilitating impact of RA." |
