Author Archives: Jose Marques Lopes PhD

Treating ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients with Humira (adalimumab) or a potential biosimilar called IBI303 had comparable effects in reducing disease activity and improving quality of life, and showed a similar safety profile, according to a Phase 3 trial in China. The study, “IBI303, a biosimilar…

Under-the-skin treatment with ixekizumab leads to early and sustained reductions in pain, fatigue, and inflammation, as well as significant improvements in sleep and quality of life, as reported by patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) who took part in two Phase 3 trials. The research, “Translating Improvements…

Stopping treatment with infliximab (brand names, Remsima, Remicade) can lead to relapses in people with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) who are in stable clinical remission, according to a 12-month study. Reintroduction of infliximab treatment is safe; however, it does not result in the same clinical response prior to treatment withdrawal in a significant…

Treatment with Simponi (golimumab) reduced the incidence of a type of eye inflammation called acute anterior uveitis (AAU) and decreased disease activity in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), according to a Phase 4 clinical study in a real-world setting. The research, “Reduced Occurrence…

British Columbia is now reimbursing ankylosing spondylitis treatment Renflexis (infliximab-abda) under its public drug plan, according to Merck Canada. Besides adults with ankylosing spondylitis, the reimbursement — effective Aug. 21 — covers all other approved indications. Those include treatment of adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a label update stating there is negligible to low transfer of UCB’s Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) through the placenta and minimal transfer in breast milk from mother to infant. This information will assist healthcare providers in providing care to women with chronic inflammatory…

Treatment with Merck’s Simponi (golimumab) is now recommended for patients with severe non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axial SpA) in England and Wales. Nr-axial SpA and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) are collectively called axial spondyloarthritis. The term Nr-axial SpA was originally used to define cases of AS that do not exhibit radiographic evidence…

The best site to determine bone loss in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients is the femoral neck, according to Swedish researchers. The study, “Which measuring site in ankylosing spondylitis is best to detect bone loss and what predicts the decline: results from a 5-year prospective study,” was…

The European Union has expanded its approval of the rheumatic disease therapy UCB’s Cimzia t0 include women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. UCB’s treatment becomes the first anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy to cover these patients. The label change was approved by the European Medicines Agency. TNF is a pro-inflammatory cytokine, or molecule…

Novartis recently initiated a Phase 3 clinical trial comparing its FDA-approved therapy Cosentyx (secukinumab) with GP2017 — an adalimumab biosimilar — in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients. The trial, called SURPASS (NCT03259074), is a head-to-head study testing the benefit of Cosentyx to the biosimilar GP2017 in reducing the progression of spinal…