In a breakthrough, a new drug that can ease the crippling symptoms of arthritis has been developed.
Patients who used the drug Sarilumab in trials were able to move more freely and suffered less damage to their joints.
Manufacturers have announced promising late-stage data for an experimental rheumatoid arthritis (RA) drug.
They said that when combined with methotrexate (MTX), sarilumab improved disease signs and symptoms, as well as physical function, and inhibited progression of joint damage.
The Phase III clinical trial evaluated sarilumab in combination with MTX in adult patients with active RA who were inadequate responders to MTX.
The trial consisted of 1,200 patients who were randomized to one of three subcutaneous treatment groups, all in combination with MTX and dosed every other week.
The study had three co-primary endpoints, which were improvement in signs and symptoms of RA at 24 weeks, improvement in physical function at week 16, and inhibition of progression of structural damage at week 52.
According to manufactures Sanofi and partner Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., both sarilumab groups showed statistically significant improvements compared to the placebo group in all three co-primary endpoints.
After 24 weeks of treatment, 66 per cent of patients receiving the 200mg dose and 58 per cent of patients receiving the 150mg dose demonstrated improvements in signs and symptoms of the disease compared to only 33 per cent in the placebo group, 'specialtypharmajournal.Com' reported.
Additionally, patients receiving sarilumab demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in physical function at week 16 and inhibition of progression of structural damage at week 52.
The most frequently reported adverse events reported were infections, with a higher incidence in the groups receiving sarilumab compared to placebo.
"We are encouraged by these Phase 3 results and the impact sarilumab demonstrated on inhibition of progression of structural damage assessed radiographically in this study," Tanya M Momtahen, Sarilumab Global Project Head, Sanofi, said.
