Author Archives: Alice Melao

European Commission Approves Sandoz Biosimilar Erelzi to Treat Various Inflammatory Diseases

The European Commission recently approved Erelzi, a biosimilar etanercept drug manufactured by the Sandoz division of Switzerland’s Novartis, for all therapeutic indications of its reference medicine Enbrel (etanercept), including ankylosing spondylitis. The June 27 announcement followed an extensive analytical, preclinical and clinical program focused on Erelzi, formerly known…

Smoking Doubles Risk of Spinal Damage in Ankylosing Spondylitis Patients, Study Finds

Patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) who smoke are twice as likely to have cumulative spinal structural damage, according to preliminary results of a systematic review study conducted by researchers at the Izmir Katip Celebi University, Turkey. This finding was the subject of an oral presentation titled “The…