New drug shows promising results for psoriatic arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis affects about 11 percent of patients with psoriasis. Anti-tumor necrosis factor α (anti-TNFα) agents, which block signaling molecules that induce inflammation, improve the symptoms of psoriatic arthritis. Golimumab is a new human monoclonal antibody that works against TNFα and has been shown to be beneficial within two weeks of the first subcutaneous injection in a phase II rheumatoid arthritis trial. A new phase III, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, the largest of its kind to be completed with a biologic agent to treat psoriatic arthritis and the first placebo-controlled study evaluating the effect of a TNF inhibitor on nail psoriasis, found that golimumab significantly improved active psoriatic arthritis and associated skin and nail psoriasis. The study was published in the April issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.