Abatacept in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A New Branch on the “Biologics” Tree
Authors: Maarten Boers
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2006)

Editorials20 June 2006Abatacept in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A New Branch on the “Biologics” TreeMaarten Boers, MSc, MD, PhDMaarten Boers, MSc, MD, PhDFrom VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-144-12-200606200-00012 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail In the last 2 decades, rheumatology has become a field with high yield potential for drug developers, and the complex diseases that rheumatologists treat have come under intense scrutiny. Targeting tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and its receptor by monoclonal antibodies has become a highly successful treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and a growing list of other diseases. Ongoing research is increasing both our knowledge of (patho)immunology and our treatment options. Once the dust has settled, science historians will doubtless find many research opportunities in the almost yearly change of paradigms of autoimmune disease.In this issue, the third and pivotal ...References1. Kremer JM, Genant HK, Moreland LW, Russell AS, Emery P, Abud-Mendoza C, et al. Effects of abatacept in patients with methotrexate-resistant active rheumatoid arthritis. A randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2006;144:865-76. LinkGoogle Scholar2. Kremer JM, Dougados M, Emery P, Durez P, Sibilia J, Shergy W, et al. Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with the selective costimulation modulator abatacept: twelve-month results of a phase iib, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Arthritis Rheum. 2005;52:2263-71. [PMID: 16052582] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Genovese MC, Becker JC, Schiff M, Luggen M, Sherrer Y, Kremer J, et al. Abatacept for rheumatoid arthritis refractory to tumor necrosis factor alpha inhibition. N Engl J Med. 2005;353:1114-23. [PMID: 16162882] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Bristol Orencia pharmacovigilance plan sufficient for approval, arthritis cmte. says. Rockville, MD: F-D-C Reports; 6 September 2005. Accessed at www.fdaadvisorycommittee.com/FDC/AdvisoryCommittee/Committees/Arthritis+Drugs/090605_Orencia/090605_OrenciaR.htm on 2 May 2006. Google Scholar5. Sokka T, Pincus T. Most patients receiving routine care for rheumatoid arthritis in 2001 did not meet inclusion criteria for most recent clinical trials or American College of Rheumatology criteria for remission. J Rheumatol. 2003;30:1138-46. [PMID: 12784382] MedlineGoogle Scholar6. Boers M. Add-on or step-up trials for new drug development in rheumatoid arthritis: a new standard? Arthritis Rheum. 2003;48:1481-3. [PMID: 12794813] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. Bathon JM, Martin RW, Fleischmann RM, Tesser JR, Schiff MH, Keystone EC, et al. A comparison of etanercept and methotrexate in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis. N Engl J Med. 2000;343:1586-93. [PMID: 11096165] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. Boers M, Tugwell P, Felson DT, van Riel PL, Kirwan JR, Edmonds JP, et al. World Health Organization and International League of Associations for Rheumatology core endpoints for symptom modifying antirheumatic drugs in rheumatoid arthritis clinical trials. J Rheumatol Suppl. 1994;41:86-9. [PMID: 7799394] MedlineGoogle Scholar9. Felson DT, Anderson JJ, Boers M, Bombardier C, Furst D, Goldsmith C, et al. American College of Rheumatology. Preliminary definition of improvement in rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 1995;38:727-35. [PMID: 7779114] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar10. Prevoo ML, van 't Hof MA, Kuper HH, van Leeuwen MA, van de Putte LB, van Riel PL. Modified disease activity scores that include twenty-eight-joint counts. Development and validation in a prospective longitudinal study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 1995;38:44-8. [PMID: 7818570] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar11. Wells GA, Boers M, Shea B, Brooks PM, Simon LS, Strand CV, et al. Minimal disease activity for rheumatoid arthritis: a preliminary definition. J Rheumatol. 2005;32:2016-24. [PMID: 16206362] MedlineGoogle Scholar12. Boers M, Verhoeven AC, Markusse HM, van de Laar MA, Westhovens R, van Denderen JC, et al. Randomised comparison of combined step-down prednisolone, methotrexate and sulphasalazine with sulphasalazine alone in early rheumatoid arthritis. Lancet. 1997;350:309-18. [PMID: 9251634] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar13. Goekoop-Ruiterman YP, de Vries-Bouwstra JK, Allaart CF, van Zeben D, Kerstens PJ, Hazes JM, et al. Clinical and radiographic outcomes of four different treatment strategies in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (the BeSt study): a randomized, controlled trial. Arthritis Rheum. 2005;52:3381-90. [PMID: 16258899] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Maarten Boers, MSc, MD, PhDAffiliations: From VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.Disclosures: Consultancies: Bristol-Myers Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Genentech/Roche, Nitec Pharma, Johnson & Johnson, Wyeth, Shionogi, Pfizer, Savient; Grants received: OMERACT.Current Author Address: Maarten Boers, MSc, MD, PhD, Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, VU University Medical Center, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, the Netherlands. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoEffects of Abatacept in Patients with Methotrexate-Resistant Active Rheumatoid Arthritis Joel M. Kremer , Harry K. Genant , Larry W. Moreland , Anthony S. Russell , Paul Emery , Carlos Abud-Mendoza , Jacek Szechinski , Tracy Li , Zhiyu Ge , Jean-Claude Becker , and Rene Westhovens Metrics Cited byAbatacept for Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Cochrane Systematic ReviewHacia un tratamiento no empírico de la artritis reumatoide basado en su patogenia molecularToward a Non-Empirical Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis Based on Its Molecular PathogenesisNew antirheumatic drugs: any real added value? A critical overview of regulatory criteria for their marketing approvalSwitching tumor necrosis factor inhibitors: an opinion 20 June 2006Volume 144, Issue 12Page: 933-935KeywordsDrug safetyDrugsFood and Drug AdministrationMethotrexatePhysical functioningRheumatoid arthritisRheumatologySafetySigns and symptomsTumor necrosis factor ePublished: 20 June 2006 Issue Published: 20 June 2006 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2006 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...