Rheumatoid arthritis: non-tumor necrosis factor targets.
OBJECTIVE
The treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has been revolutionised in recent years with the advent of biologic treatments. The purpose of this review is to outline new treatments that target the inflammatory pathway in rheumatoid arthritis other than tumor necrosis factor-alpha.


RESULTS
As the use of anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha treatment has become more widespread, the number of patients in whom this treatment is unsuccessful has also accumulated. Contraindications such as infection and cardiac failure further add to the number of patients who need alternative treatment. A better understanding of the inflammatory pathway in rheumatoid arthritis has led to interest in other therapeutic targets. Promising treatments such as interleukin-6 antagonists (MRA), CTLA4Ig (abatacept), and anti-B cell therapy (rituximab) have already been tested in randomized controlled trials over the past year. Other cytokines have been identified and have been shown to be of benefit in animal models, including interleukin-15, interleukin-17, and interleukin-18, and clinical trials of these agents are currently under way.


CONCLUSIONS
For patients with rheumatoid arthritis that does not respond to anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha treatment, the promising alternatives MRA, abatacept, and rituximab have been tested. It is hoped that these agents will become available shortly.
Pollard
Louise
L
Sir Alfred Baring Garrod Clinical Trials Unit, Department of Academic Rheumatology, King's College, London Weston Education Centre, London, UK. louise.pollard@kcl.ac.uk
Choy
Ernest
E
D000069594:Abatacept; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018951:Antigens, CD20 / Q000276:immunology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D018796:Immunoconjugates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6 / Q000276:immunology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D018951:Antigens, CD20; D018796:Immunoconjugates; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069594:Abatacept