Psoriatic Arthritis News and Research

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Like rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the joints and connective tissue. The disease causes joint pain and swelling that can lead to crippling along with inflamed and irritated scaly red patches of skin throughout the body. It is a progressive and debilitating disease and because there are no treatments specifically approved for psoriatic arthritis, doctors often use therapies approved for RA, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). However, no DMARDs are currently approved for use in psoriatic arthritis. There are approximately 300,000 patients with psoriatic arthritis in the United States and the disease affects both men and women most commonly between the ages 30 and 50. Psoriatic arthritis patients are generally treated by rheumatologists and dermatologists.

New study shows treatment with brodalumab demonstrates clinical response in subjects with PsA

A new study presented today at EULAR 2013, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism, shows that treatment with brodalumab demonstrates significant clinical response and an acceptable safety profile in subjects with psoriatic arthritis.

13 Jun 2013

Celgene announces positive results from first phase III study of apremilast in psoriatic arthritis

Celgene International Sàrl, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Celgene Corporation, today announced 52-week results from PALACE 1, the Company's first phase III study in psoriatic arthritis at the European Congress of Rheumatology annual meeting in Madrid, Spain.

12 Jun 2013

Six top scientists studying psoriasis receive NPF research grants to discover new treatments for chronic diseases

Six of the top scientists studying psoriasis-the most common autoimmune disease in the country, affecting 7.5 million Americans-and psoriatic arthritis, an inflammatory joint and tendon disease affecting up to 30 percent of people with psoriasis, received National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) research grants totaling $450,000 for projects that aim to discover new treatments and a cure for these chronic diseases.

5 Jun 2013

Synthetic compound derived from sea anemone toxin shows potential to treat obesity

Scientists at UC Irvine reported this week that a synthetic compound ShK-186, originally derived from a sea anemone toxin, has been found to enhance metabolic activity and shows potential as a treatment for obesity and insulin resistance.

28 May 2013

Simponi injection gets FDA approval to treat adults with ulcerative colitis

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved a new use for Simponi (golimumab) injection to treat adults with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis.

16 May 2013

Study: Use of anti-TNF therapies in RA patients does not increase risk of herpes zoster

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who initiated use of anti-tumor necrosis factor therapies were not at a higher risk of developing herpes zoster (shingles), compared with patients who initiated nonbiologic treatment regimens, according to research from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and the Oregon Health and Science University. The findings appeared in the March 6, 2013, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

22 Apr 2013

Patients with psoriasis carry increased risk of developing severe co-morbid conditions

The International Federation of Psoriasis Associations, IFPA, commends the World Health Organization for raising awareness of the risks associated with high blood pressure and calls for healthcare professionals to regularly scan for the condition in patients with psoriasis.

9 Apr 2013

RA patients who initiate anti-TNF therapies do not have higher risk of shingles: Study

Although patients with rheumatoid arthritis have a disproportionately higher incidence of herpes zoster (shingles), an analysis that included nearly 60,000 patients with RA and other inflammatory diseases found that those who initiated anti-tumor necrosis factor therapies were not at higher risk of herpes zoster compared with patients who initiated nonbiologic treatment regimens, according to a study appearing in the March 6 issue of JAMA.

7 Mar 2013

UCB seeks FDA and EMA marketing authorization for Cimzia to treat active psoriatic arthritis

UCB announced today two new regulatory filings with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to extend the marketing authorization for Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) for the treatment of adult patients with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and for adult patients with active axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA).

20 Feb 2013

FDA approves Abbott’s HUMIRA to treat ulcerative colitis

Abbott today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved HUMIRA (adalimumab) for inducing and sustaining clinical remission in adult patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) when certain other medicines have not worked well enough.

29 Sep 2012

Abbott receives FDA approval for Humira to treat ulcerative colitis

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today expanded the approved use of Humira (adalimumab) to include treatment of moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis in adults.

29 Sep 2012

TNF inhibitors best cardiac option for psoriasis patients

Use of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors is associated with a significantly reduced risk for myocardial infarction in psoriasis patients compared with use of other medications, report researchers.

31 Aug 2012

FDA approves Horizon Pharma's RAYOS to treat key IL-6 mediated diseases

Horizon Pharma, Inc., announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved RAYOS (prednisone) delayed-release tablets (1 mg, 2 mg and 5 mg) to treat a broad range of diseases including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

26 Jul 2012

Questcor second quarter net sales increase to $112.5 million

Questcor Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today reported financial results for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2012.

24 Jul 2012

Herpes zoster vaccine recommendations questioned in patients on biologics

Administration of the live attenuated herpes zoster vaccine is not associated with an increased risk for shingles shortly after vaccination in patients receiving biologic treatments for immune-mediated diseases, researchers report in JAMA.

10 Jul 2012

Live zoster vaccine associated with reduced risk of HZ in patients with immune-mediated diseases

Although some have suggested that patients receiving medication for immune-mediated diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis may be at increased risk of herpes zoster (HZ; shingles) shortly after receipt of the vaccine, an analysis that included nearly 20,000 vaccinated Medicare beneficiaries finds that the live zoster vaccine is not associated with an increased risk of HZ shortly after vaccination in patients currently treated with biologics, and that it is associated with a significantly reduced longer-term risk of HZ in patients with an immune-mediated disease, according to a study in the July 4 issue of JAMA.

4 Jul 2012

Shingles vaccine may not increase risk of varicella in people with auto-immune diseases

New research from the University of Alabama at Birmingham casts doubt on the long-standing belief that the vaccine for shingles should not be given to patients taking biologics for auto-immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

4 Jul 2012

Psoriasis link with autoimmune diseases underscored

Patients with psoriasis are nearly twice as likely to have an autoimmune disease as individuals without the condition, suggest study findings.

8 Jun 2012

Hypocaloric diet may help achieve minimal disease activity in psoriatic arthritis patients

According to a study presented today at EULAR 2012, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism, patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) who are starting anti-tumour necrosis factor (anti-TNF) treatment and adhere to a hypocaloric diet have a significantly greater chance of achieving minimal disease activity (MDA, an important measure of disease activity) at six months compared to those on a standard diet.