Chemical compound shows promise in treating rheumatoid arthritis

Montana State University researchers and their collaborators have published their findings about a chemical compound that shows potential for treating rheumatoid arthritis.

The paper ran in the June issue of the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (JPET), and one of its illustrations is featured on the cover. JPET
is a leading scientific journal that covers all aspects of pharmacology, a field that investigates the effects of drugs on biological systems and vice versa.

"This journal is one of the top journals that reports new types of therapeutics that are being developed," said Mark Quinn, senior author on the paper and a professor in MSU's Department of Microbiology and Immunology. The department is part of the College of Agriculture and the
College of Letters and Science.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disorder that affects an estimated 1.3 million people in the world, Quinn said. Characterized by stiff, swollen joints, it's a progressive disease that occurs when the body's immune system attacks its own cells. Inflammation in the lining of the joints leads to loss of bone and cartilage. People who have rheumatoid arthritis lose mobility and joint function without adequate treatment.

New kinds of drugs have been developed for treating the disease, Quinn said. Called biological drugs, or "biologics," they are made from genetically engineered proteins or antibodies that act on substances in the immune system. When used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, they interrupt signals that fuel the inflammatory process. Two such drugs are ENBREL and HUMIRA.

Biologics can be expensive, however, and some people don't respond to
them, Quinn said. Some people respond at first, but not forever.

"There is a real need to develop new kinds of drugs that are different," Quinn said. "They could be combined with other available drugs or replace drugs that aren't working for patients."

Researchers in his laboratory and elsewhere identified a new chemical compound, called IQ-1S, in a previous study, Quinn said. Then they conducted a new study to understand how the   small-molecule  compound
works against rheumatoid arthritis. They explained their findings in the JPET paper.  

Ref : http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/353/3/505.abstract?sid=8b8e3977-7bbd-40f4-ab43-f37402878df0

Chemical compound shows promise in treating rheumatoid arthritis: 

RA Study Misses Primary Endpoint (CH-4051)...

In continuation of my update on CH-4051

Chelsea Therapeutics International, Ltd. (Nasdaq:CHTP) announced that a preliminary analysis of its dose-ranging exploratory Phase II trial of CH-4051, a non-metabolized antifolate, in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who experience an inadequate response to methotrexate (MTX) treatment indicates that CH-4051 did not demonstrate superior efficacy to methotrexate in the dose range evaluated.

"Results of this study provide evidence of the clinical activity of CH-4051, in a dose dependent manner, across multiple RA assessment criteria," commented Dr. Simon Pedder, president and CEO of Chelsea Therapeutics. "However, the outcome of the trial was confounded by the unexpectedly robust response reported by patients treated with methotrexate. While we believe that higher doses of CH-4051 could provide enhanced therapeutic benefit in RA and that CH-4051 could be developed for other anti-inflammatory and autoimmune indications, we believe our current resources would be better allocated toward the planned completion of our Northera™ (droxidopa) development program in neurogenic orthostatic hypotension. Consequently, we have no immediate plans to continue development of CH-4051."

FDA AAC recommends approval of Pfizer’s tofacitinib for RA

In continuation of my update on  Tofacitinib...

FDA AAC recommends approval of Pfizer’s tofacitinib for RA: Pfizer Inc. the Arthritis Advisory Committee to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voted 8-2 to recommend approval of the investigational agent tofacitinib for the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The Committee's recommendation will be considered by the FDA in its review of the New Drug Application (NDA) for tofacitinib. The FDA has provided an anticipated Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) action date in August 2012. If approved by the FDA, tofacitinib would be the first new oral disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (or DMARD) for RA in more than 10 years and the first RA treatment in a new class of medicines known as Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors..

Researchers unlock mystery of how an inflammatory molecule is produced in the body

Researchers unlock mystery of how an inflammatory molecule is produced in the body: Cedars-Sinai researchers have unlocked the mystery of how an inflammatory molecule is produced in the body, a discovery they say could lead to advances in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, Type 2 diabetes and numerous other chronic diseases that affect tens of millions of people.

UCB,s new data for Cimzia® (certolizumab pegol) showed a rapid clinical response across a broad population of RA patients

UCB, announced data which showed that the addition of Cimzia^® (certolizumab pegol) to current therapy was associated with a rapid and consistent clinical response in a diverse group of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Company also claims that, consistent efficacy was observed across patients taking certolizumab pegol whether they had previously received TNF inhibitors or not and whether they received certolizumab pegol monotherapy or with concomitant DMARDs.....

UCB Media Centre - New data for Cimzia® (certolizumab pegol) showed a rapid clinical response across a broad population of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients

Gout drug success for Novartis

Canakinumab (trade name Ilaris, previously ACZ885) is a human monoclonal antibody targeted at interleukin-1 beta. It has no cross-reactivity with other members of the interleukin-1 family, including interleukin-1 alpha.

We know that, Canakinumab was approved for the treatment of cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes (CAPS) by the US FDA on June 2009 and by the European Medicines Agency in October 2009. CAPS is a spectrum of autoinflammatory syndromes including familial cold autoinflammatory syndrome, Muckle–Wells syndrome, and neonatal-onset multisystem inflammatory disease.

Canakinumab was being developed by Novartis for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis but this trial has been discontinued. Canakinumab is also in phase I clinical trials as a possible treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Gout drug success for Novartis