Somewhat cumbersome: ..."They can also take Remicade, Johnson & Johnson's (nyse: JNJ - news - people) monoclonal antibody that also blocks tumor necrosis factor.
"Remicade is the most effective drug against Crohn's but is meant only for the one-third of patients with moderate to severe conditions," said Bruce Sands, an assistant professor of Medicine at Harvard University.
Sands said about 25 percent of the Remicade antibody consists of mouse particles, perhaps a main reason some patients develop allergic reactions like shortness of breath, flushing of the skin,chest discomfort, rashes or drop in blood pressure.
"Remicade is not for everybody because of its side effects, which also include a higher risk of infections, including tuberculosis," Sands added.
Up to 40 percent of patients taking Remicade fail to respond to treatment, Katz said. And many of those who do respond must be given repeat infusions of the medicine every three months to keep symptoms under control -- an expensive proposition since each one can cost over $2,000" |
