Ankylosing Spondylitis News and Research

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Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) is a painful and progressive form of spinal arthritis and symptoms of inflammatory back pain often first present in people before age 35. It typically begins in the late teens and early twenties and in severe cases may result in fusing spinal vertebrae and may cause structural damage to hips and other joints. Often misdiagnosed as "just back pain" or undifferentiated arthritis, AS is a systemic inflammatory disease that, in addition to its effect on the spine, can affect internal organs, peripheral joints and vision. The Arthritis Research Campaign, estimates that on the European continent, AS prevalence ranges from 0.2 to 1 percent of the entire population. The Spondylitis Association of America estimates that between 350,000 and one million people in the U.S. suffer from Ankylosing Spondylitis.

Johnson & Johnson fourth quarter sales decreases 5.5% to $15.6 billion

Johnson & Johnson today announced sales of $15.6 billion for the fourth quarter of 2010, a decrease of 5.5% as compared to the fourth quarter of 2009. Operational sales declined 5.1% and the negative impact of currency was 0.4%. Domestic sales declined 8.1%, while international sales declined 3.1%, reflecting an operational decline of 2.3% and a negative currency impact of 0.8%.

25 Jan 2011

Centocor Ortho Biotech files REMICADE sBLA for ulcerative colitis in pediatric patients

Centocor Ortho Biotech Inc. announced today that it has filed a supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requesting the approval of REMICADE® (infliximab) for the treatment of moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) in pediatric patients who have had an inadequate response to conventional therapy.

29 Dec 2010

BELLUS Health, Celtic Therapeutics initiate KIACTA global confirmatory phase III clinical study for AA amyloidosis

BELLUS Health Inc. and Celtic Therapeutics announced today that a global confirmatory phase III clinical study was initiated on December 14, 2010 for KIACTA™ (eprodisate). KIACTA™ is a drug candidate being developed for the treatment of AA amyloidosis, a life-threatening orphan disease that occurs in patients with long-lasting inflammatory conditions, most commonly due to rheumatoid arthritis. The study is designed to confirm the safety and efficacy of KIACTA™ in preventing renal function decline in patients with AA amyloidosis.

16 Dec 2010

Golimumab with methotrexate improves markers of inflammation and structural damage in RA patients

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analyses from two Phase 3 clinical trials showed that once every four week subcutaneous injections of golimumab 50 mg plus methotrexate resulted in statistically significant improvements in markers of inflammation and structural damage in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared with placebo plus methotrexate.

30 Nov 2010

VIMOVO granted marketing and pricing approval in the UK

POZEN Inc., a pharmaceutical company committed to transforming medicine that transforms lives, today announced that it has been notified by AstraZeneca that marketing and pricing approval for VIMOVO™ (naproxen/ esomeprazole magnesium) 500/20 mg modified-release tablets, has been granted in the United Kingdom (UK).

12 Nov 2010

SIMPONI injection improves inflammation, structural damage in RA patients

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analyses from two Phase 3 clinical trials showed that once every four week subcutaneous injections of SIMPONI (golimumab) 50 mg plus methotrexate resulted in statistically significant improvements in markers of inflammation and structural damage in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared with placebo plus methotrexate.

9 Nov 2010

Chronic lower back pain may be linked to axial spondyloarthritis: Research

Chronic lower back pain may be linked to a recently defined form of inflammatory arthritis known as axial spondyloarthritis, according to research presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Atlanta.

8 Nov 2010

POZEN’s therapeutic development programs qualified to receive federal grant under PPACA

POZEN Inc., a pharmaceutical company committed to transforming medicine that transforms lives, today announced that three of the Company's therapeutic development programs, VIMOVO (naproxen / esomeprazole magnesium) (formerly PN400), PA32540 and PA65020, qualified to receive federal grant funding under The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

3 Nov 2010

POZEN reports net loss of $8.6M for third quarter 2010 vs. net income of $6.7M for third quarter 2009

POZEN Inc., a pharmaceutical company committed to transforming medicine that transforms lives, today announced results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2010.

28 Oct 2010

Johnson & Johnson third quarter sales decrease 0.7% to $15.0 billion

Johnson & Johnson today announced sales of $15.0 billion for the third quarter of 2010, a decrease of 0.7% as compared to the third quarter of 2009. Operational results increased 0.1% and the negative impact of currency was 0.8%. Domestic sales declined 2.5%, while international sales increased 1.1%, reflecting operational growth of 2.6% and a negative currency impact of 1.5%.

19 Oct 2010

Study observes interaction between HLA-C and ERAP1 genes in psoriasis

Genetic variants associated with increased susceptibility to psoriasis are reported in five papers published online this week in Nature Genetics. Psoriasis is a chronic and recurrent skin disease, and one of the most prevalent autoimmune diseases, with a global prevalence of 2-3%.

19 Oct 2010

Questcor's H.P. Acthar Gel sNDA for infantile spasms receives FDA approval

Questcor Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Questcor's supplemental new drug application (sNDA) for H.P. Acthar® Gel (repository corticotropin injection) in the treatment of infantile spasms (IS), an ultra-rare orphan disorder affecting approximately 2,000 American children annually. IS is a devastating and potentially life-threatening form of epilepsy seen in infancy and early childhood.

15 Oct 2010

Chelsea Therapeutics initiates CH-4051 Phase II trial in rheumatoid arthritis patients

Chelsea Therapeutics International, Ltd. has initiated enrollment in a multinational, 12-week, double-blind Phase II trial designed to compare the efficacy and tolerability of CH-4051 against methotrexate (MTX) in 250 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who are experiencing an inadequate response to MTX treatment.

27 Sep 2010

Researchers to conduct gene analysis for ankylosing spondylitis

A new study designed to test suspected links between genes and two immune disorders could open the door to better ways to diagnose and treat the conditions that affect a combined total of approximately 2.5 million people in the United States, report scientists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).

16 Sep 2010

FDA approves Chelsea Therapeutics' Phase II protocol for CH-4051 antifolate in rheumatoid arthritis

Chelsea Therapeutics International, Ltd. announced confirmation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that its proposed Phase II protocol for CH-4051 in rheumatoid arthritis has been approved by the agency.

26 Aug 2010

Merck's SIMPONI anti-TNF therapy now reimbursed in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Alberta

Merck is pleased to announce that New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Alberta are the first provinces in Canada to reimburse SIMPONI(golimumab) for the treatment of three different rheumatic conditions. SIMPONI, a subcutaneous anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy, is now reimbursed by the drug formularies of these three provinces for people living with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis, moderately to severely active psoriatic arthritis and active ankylosing spondylitis.

17 Aug 2010

POZEN reports $16.2M net income for second-quarter 2010

POZEN Inc., a pharmaceutical company committed to transforming medicine that transforms lives, today announced results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2010.

3 Aug 2010

Regeneron second-quarter total revenues increase to $115.9 million

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced financial and operating results for the second quarter of 2010. The Company reported a net loss of $25.5 million, or $0.31 per share (basic and diluted), for the second quarter of 2010 compared with a net loss of $14.9 million, or $0.19 per share (basic and diluted), for the second quarter of 2009.

28 Jul 2010

Johnson & Johnson second-quarter sales increase 0.6% to $15.3 billion

Johnson & Johnson today announced sales of $15.3 billion for the second quarter of 2010, an increase of 0.6% as compared to the second quarter of 2009. Operational results increased 0.1% and the positive impact of currency was 0.5%. Domestic sales declined 2.8%, while international sales increased 4.1%, reflecting operational growth of 3.0% and a positive currency impact of 1.1%.

20 Jul 2010

Chelsea initiates NORTHERA Phase III trial for symptomatic NOH associated with PD

Chelsea Therapeutics International, Ltd. announced the initiation of Study 306, a pivotal Phase III trial evaluating the efficacy of NORTHERA™, an oral synthetic precursor of norepinephrine, for the treatment of symptomatic neurogenic orthostatic hypotension (NOH) associated with Parkinson's disease.

29 Jun 2010