Drug offers hope to arthritis patients

Remarkable results from trials into a new drug have given hope to thousands of Irish people who suffer from an agonising medical condition, rheumatoid arthritis.

The antibody drug, tocilizumab, was found to be almost four times more likely to halt progression of arthritis than the most widely prescribed alternative. It also achieved significantly greater reduction in disease signs and symptoms after six months.

Up to 40,000 people in Ireland have rheumatoid arthritis, a painful and disabling condition caused by the immune system attacking the joints.

Of those newly diagnosed, around a half will be unable to work within 10 years.

Tocilizumab is covered by the HSE and has been available to patients in Ireland since 2009. It is administered by intravenous infusion and must be given over one hour through a drip in a patient’s vein.

The average price per patient is €11,400.

The new results may lead to the drug being given to larger numbers of patients on its own.

Scientists compared tocili-zumab, marketed as RoAct-emra, with the “anti-TNF” drug, adalimumab (Humira). The drugs were tested in a group of 326 patients unable to take the mainstay treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, methotrexate (MTX).

MTX is ruled out for roughly a third of patients, many of whom suffer side effects such as vomiting, hair loss and mouth ulcers.

Currently, such individuals generally move onto anti-TNF drugs, which target a molecule called tumour necrosis factor that promotes inflammation.

Tocilizumab works in a different way by targeting another inflammatory protein, interleukin six (IL-6).

Consultant rheumatologist Professor Paul Emery, from the University of Leeds, who took part in the Adacta trial, said: “These results are impressive and important for the 30% of patients with RA who cannot take methotrexate.”

The findings were presented in Berlin at Eular, the annual meeting of the European Congress of Rheumatology.

Professor John Isaacs, a rheumatology expert from the University of Newcastle, said: “This study is the first time a treatment has gone ’head to head’ with an anti-TNF in this setting, and to show a significant increase in patients achieving remission is very impressive.”

A spokesman for Arthritis Ireland said it was always encouraging to see advances in treatments for people with arthritis.

“However, Arthritis Ireland does not advocate the use of one treatment over another, as it is important that patients speak to their doctor or rheumatologist about what treatment is most suited to their requirements,” he said.