What is the place of recently approved T cell-targeted and B cell-targeted therapies in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis? Lessons from global clinical trials.
The recently approved therapies abatacept and rituximab have significantly improved treatment options for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, especially for patients who have an inadequate response to tumor necrosis factor inhibitors. This article reviews the latest efficacy and safety data for both abatacept and rituximab. One-year data from abatacept and rituximab clinical trials show significantly better efficacy and reduction in radiographic damage for these therapies compared with placebo. In addition, repeated courses of rituximab confer continued efficacy for patients. The safety profile of these therapies shows that infusion reactions and infections are the most commonly reported important adverse events. Premedication with corticosteroids reduces the infusion reactions to rituximab.
Smolen
Josef S
JS
Department of Rheumatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. josef.smolen@wienkav.at
D000069594:Abatacept; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D018796:Immunoconjugates / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069283:Rituximab; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D018796:Immunoconjugates; D000069283:Rituximab; D000069594:Abatacept