Andrea Lobo,  Science writer—

Andrea Lobo is a Science writer at BioNews. She holds a Biology degree and a PhD in Cell Biology/Neurosciences from the University of Coimbra-Portugal, where she studied stroke biology. She was a postdoctoral and senior researcher at the Institute for Research and Innovation in Health in Porto, in drug addiction, studying neuronal plasticity induced by amphetamines. As a research scientist for 19 years, Andrea participated in academic projects in multiple research fields, from stroke, gene regulation, cancer, and rare diseases. She authored multiple research papers in peer-reviewed journals. She shifted towards a career in science writing and communication in 2022.

Articles by Andrea Lobo

Women maintain Cimzia blood levels throughout pregnancy

Women with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) or other inflammatory diseases maintained stable therapeutic levels of Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) throughout pregnancy, as announced by UCB, the therapy’s developer. The results, from the open-label Phase 1b CHERISH clinical trial (NCT04163016), were presented at the European Congress of Rheumatology held…

In early trial, AVT05 shows similar pharmacological profile to Simponi

AVT05, Alvotech’s biosimilar candidate to treat ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and other chronic inflammatory diseases, showed a similar pharmacological profile to the reference medication Simponi (golimumab) in a clinical trial. The Phase 1 trial (NCT05632211) compared the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics — movement into, through, and out…

Bimekizumab shows benefits in treating axSpA at 1 year in trials

A year of treatment with bimekizumab was safe and significantly eased symptoms of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) in participants from two Phase 3 clinical trials, data show. “Results at [one year] from the BE MOBILE trials suggest that [bimekizumab] is an effective treatment option resulting in sustained efficacy across…

Cimzia clinical response, disease activity tied to productivity gains

Long-term use of Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) is associated with a higher clinical response to treatment and lower disease activity in people with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). This translated to increased productivity for patients, both at work and in household activities. “This highlights the importance of targeting these thresholds to limit…

Bone disease blood test may help predict AS radiographic progression

A blood test for bone disease that measures the levels of an enzyme called alkaline phosphatase (ALP) may predict disease progression of ankylosing spondylitis five years before abnormalities can be observed on radiographic exams, according to a new study. “This is not only useful for finding bone-specific biomarkers that…

FDA approves Yuflyma, a Humira biosimilar

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Yuflyma (adalimumab-aaty), a high concentration biosimilar of Humira (adalimumab), for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis. Other approved indications for Yuflyma are rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, plaque psoriasis, and hidradenitis suppurativa. According…

Potential blood biomarkers for AS identified in study

Proteins associated with inflammation and immune system function were identified as potential blood biomarkers for the diagnosis and monitoring of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). “Better biomarkers would address a significant unmet need both in clinic, where earlier diagnosis and referral might be improved, as well as in bettering our understanding…

AVT02, an Humira Biosimilar, Approved in Australia to Treat AS

AVT02, a high-concentration and low-volume biosimilar to AbbVie’s Humira (adalimumab), was approved by health regulators in Australia to treat inflammatory disorders such as ankylosing spondylitis (AS). A biosimilar is a biological medicine with a high degree of similarity — in terms of quality, safety, and efficacy —…

Early Anti-TNF Therapy May Raise Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in AS

Early initiation of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) medications may be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events in people with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a study suggests. “We designed the study with the overall hypothesis that the use of TNF inhibitors, which reduce inflammation and thus cardiovascular risk,…