New two-year data verifies effectiveness of drug in rheumatoid arthritis

 Data gathered from a new two-year study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) showed that Roche's Actemra (tocilizumab), used in combination with standard therapy, was effective at inhibiting joint structural damage as well as maintaining high remission rates in patients who took the drug. Those results were compared to those who took standard therapy alone. The drugmaker said full data from the trial will be used to support regulatory filings for Actemra for labelling claims of inhibition of the progression of structural damage and improvement of physical function.

The randomised LITHE research is an international study which included 15 countries and  involved 1196 patients with moderate-to-severe RA who previously had an inadequate response to methotrexate. Patients were administered either Actemra once every four weeks in combination with methotrexate, or methotrexate alone. CEO Roche Pharmaceuticals Division, William M. Burns, summarized the implications of the results: “These new data build on the one-year results, demonstrating that, in most patients, Actemra inhibited the progression of structural joint damage which is a major cause of disability and loss of physical function for RA patients.  LITHE is the fifth large study from a comprehensive development program and demonstrates that ACTEMRA offers rheumatoid arthritis patients the chance of achieving a long-lasting remission from the disease.” 

Encouraged by the results, Roche stated that a larger proportion of those treated with Actemra "benefited from a significant inhibition of structural damage during 24 months of therapy, compared to patients in the control arm.” The outcome was established by x-ray evidence of the narrowing of joint spaces and the progression of bone erosions. This benefit is important to RA patients as damage to the joints caused by the disease leads to the pain and disability associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

Article attributed to Firstwordplus.com, Roche.com and Forexpros.com.