Author Archives: Margarida Maia PhD

TNF, IL-17 inhibitors work equally regardless of MRI, CRP tests: Study

People with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) respond equally well to two types of medications that ease inflammation — tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors or interleukin-17 (IL-17) inhibitors — regardless of their imaging findings or C-reactive protein (CRP) levels before treatment, a meta-analysis has found. This suggests that neither magnetic resonance imaging…

Cosentyx’s benefits seen in adults with axSpA for up to 2 years

A chronic inflammatory condition known as non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) remained undetectable on X-ray for most people with active disease who were on treatment with Cosentyx (secukinumab) for up to two years. That’s according to new data from PREVENT (NCT02696031), a Phase 3 clinical study that also showed sustained…

Canada OKs High-concentration Hadlima Biosimilar Formulation

Health Canada has approved a high-concentration formulation of Hadlima (adalimumab-bwwd), a biosimilar to Humira (adalimumab), for treating ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and other diseases. A biosimilar is a medical product designed to be identical — with similar properties, as well as comparable safety and effectiveness — to an…

Online Yoga May Help Relieve Pain, Boost Mental Health in AS: Study

Engaging in online yoga classes, or tele-yoga, may help people with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) relieve pain, overcome some functional limitations, and improve their mental health, a study from India suggests. The study, “Tele-yoga in the management of ankylosing spondylitis amidst COVID pandemic: A prospective randomized controlled trial,” was…

Rheumatoid Arthritis, Not AS, Linked to Severe COVID-19 Risk

People with ankylosis spondylitis (AS) may not be at an increased risk of developing severe symptoms of COVID-19, according to a large U.S. study. That’s not the case, however, with those with rheumatoid arthritis, another immune-mediated disease, who were found to have a 20% higher risk of developing severe…