Biologic therapies for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

Biologic Treatment in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common, chronic, inflammatory disease. It affects around 1% of the adult population in all age groups, although the incidence peaks during the fifth decade of life. The aetiology of RA is unknown, but it is considered to be autoimmune in nature. Inflammation in the synovial tissues of the joints is the hallmark of RA, causing pain, stiffness, loss of function and ...

Biologic therapies in clinical development for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

The therapeutic objective in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is reduction of disease activity with an ultimate goal of disease remission. Limitations of currently available disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and biologic therapies suggest that there remains an unmet need for agents that advance these goals in a greater proportion of patients. Progress in our understanding of the regu...

Using the new biologic therapies in rheumatoid arthritis: practical aspects

[Predictors of response to biologic therapies in rheumatoid arthritis].

The advent of biological therapies has revolutionized the management of rheumatoid arthritis, demonstrating effectiveness in controlling clinical and radiological damage. However, 20 to 40% of the patients will not respond to these therapies, which are associated to a very high cost. In addition, non-responder patients are exposed to possible adverse effects. For these reasons, we need to ident...

Biologic monotherapy for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

Methotrexate monotherapy for rheumatoid arthritis is considered efficacious and safe, but an inadequate treatment response and intolerance are common. Patients unresponsive to methotrexate or other disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs may receive biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) as monotherapy, or in combination with methotrexate. Of the 17 bDMARD monotherapy clinical t...