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The drug candidate sarilumab by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Sanofi showed reduced symptoms of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis on a clinical trial. According to the company, they are discussing on the doses of the drug that will be tested on the late stage of the clinical trial. Patients who were treated with sarilumab as well as methotraxeate are found to have more improvement compared to the patients who were treated with methotrexate and placebo in the mid stage trila.

Sanofi increases into their shares by 50 cents or 1.3 percent, to $38.59 in the morning trading and Regeneron added 23 cents to $57.38

“The study compared five different doses of the drug to placebo. Regeneron and Sanofi said 49 percent of patients who were treated with the lowest dose had their symptoms improve by at least 20 percent, while 72 percent of the patients in the highest-dose group met that benchmark. They said 46.2 percent of the methotrexate and placebo patients had the same improvement. Sarilumab patients were also more likely to have improvements of 50 percent and 70 percent, and also did better on a separate measurement of symptoms.” http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9OEQI5O1.htm

Common side effects of sarilumab include infections, low white blood cell count, and liver function test abnormalities. About 306 patients are involved in the 12 week study that was not into the previous treatment with the methotrexate and the study will go on for 12 more weeks.

According to the companies, on the separate study, sarilumab did not work better compared to placebo in the treatment for ankylosing spondylitis which is a painful, progressive from spinal arthritis.

Yaron Werber, Citi Investment Research analyst said tat it is too soon to make statement on how sarilumab can be compared to Roche’s arthritis drug Acemtra which is the one that is on the market already. However, the date on the side effects looks encouraging. The most superior drug in that teamwork is the cancer treatment aflibercept, but it also includes treatments for high lipid levels and pain.

According to the U.S researchers, celecoxib which is a drug used to treat arthritis can emerge as an agent potent chemopreventive for lung cancer. Dr. Jenny Mao, a professor of medicine at the University of New Mexico and section chief of pulmonary and critical care medicine at the New Mexico VA Health System, says that the drug is a COX-2 inhibitor that was used on patients who were former smokers.

On the study, they have found out a benefit in the bronchial health. The findings of the study follow a previous report that was published in the Cancer Prevention Research that displays a same effect on former smokers as well as current smokers.

Dr Mao added that the findings strongly recommend that clecoxib can be used as a chemopreventive agent among high risk groups.

On the other hand, Mao warned the both the current study, that was published in the Cancer Prevention research and the last years study were phase II trials and that, phase III trials still needs to confirm the findings.

“The oncology community does not have a good treatment for lung cancer. Unless it is caught in the earliest stages, the five-year survival is only about 15 percent,” says J. Jack Lee of The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and the statistical editor of Cancer Prevention Research. “The best way is to intercept at the earliest stages and try to reverse the processes that can lead to cancer. These studies suggest celecoxib may be a tool to do that.” http://www.thirdage.com/news/arthritis-drug-may-double-as-lung-cancer-treatment_07-08-2011

“Patients with inflammatory conditions may have lower rates of diabetes if they take drugs commonly used to treat arthritis, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.” http://www.drugstorenews.com/article/commonly-used-arthritis-drugs-may-cut-diabetes-risk-among-patients-study-finds?utm_source=GoogleNews&utm_medium=Syndication&utm_campaign=ManualSitemap

On the study that was conducted by the researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, they examined about 14,000 patients who has rheumatoid arthritis as well as psoriasis who took disease-modifying anti rheumatic drugs. Patients who have the said disease have a high chance of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Patients were broken-down into groups that took tumor-necrosis factor inhibitors, those who had biotech drugs, methotrexate, hydroxychloriquine or the non-biologic DMARDs. Researchers revealed that of the entire group, the patients who took TNF inhibitors or the hydroxychloriquine ahd the lowest rate of risk for diabetes. Although the researchers found out that there is a link between the lower diabetes risk and the use of one of the two DMARDs, but they were remained uncertain as to whether the relationship was contributory.

“Ablynx NV, the developer of drugs based on antibodies found in llamas, said an experimental rheumatoid-arthritis medicine licensed to Pfizer Inc. was found effective in a mid-stage clinical study, validating the Belgian company’s technology for the first time.”

Every four weeks of injections of ozaralizumab reduced the occurrence of swollen joints among patients with rheumatoid arthritis after 16 weeks as compared with the placebo, the Ghent, Belgium-based Company said in a statement. The Pfizer will evaluate whether and how will the injection take anti-TNF treatment forward according to Ablynx.

The Ablynx’x license agreement with the Pfizer for anti-TNF treatment of arthritis is potentially worth more than $212.5 million excluding the royalties on sales. The findings of the study marks for the first time that the Ablynx-developed drug shows clinical efficacy among patients. It works on at least 25 drug development programs.

Jan De Kerpel, an analyst at KBC Securities NV in Brussels, wrote in a note said that the importance of the program should not be underestimated. As for the biotechnology platform companies, the proof of the concept may open the gate to the substantial shareholder value creation.

Ablynx, which primary sell shares for 7 euros apiece in a November 2007 primary public contribution, retreated 0.3 percent to 7.94 euros at the 5:35 p.m. close of dealing on Euronext Brussels. The study marks were available at 6 p.m. local time.

The Venus Remedies announced the launch of the new drug Trois for the treatment of arthritis in the month of June or July according to the report that was quoted in the statement of Joint Managing Director-cum-Director Manu Chaudhary.

The company also said that they want to implement a research on formulating the novel medications in order to cure the viral illnesses as well as immune system enhancing medications.

“This nano technology-based product, Trois, has many advantages, as it has got 178 percent faster penetration that leads to quick onset of action resulting in enhanced bio-availability, reduction in pain and inflammation associated with arthritis, she said.” http://www.rttnews.com/Content/IndianNews.aspx?Id=1620758&SM=1

The technology is developed fully and the rights for the technology have already been filed and the grant will be expected soon.

From the survey, 70 percent of the people who are above 65 years old are suffering from arthritis in India and it will become the biggest epidemic of the country in the year 2013. On 2003, the rheumatoid arthritis drug market in India will be doubled, growing from $296 million in 2008 to $672 million in 2013.

Arthritis may not be rampant now, but if it will continue to affect thousands of people that could bring a huge problem on the country as well as to the people. More Healthy lifestyle living tips and enhance medication technology should be given in order to have a good future for m everybody.