New drug shows promising results for psoriatic arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis affects about 11 percent of patients with psoriasis. Anti-tumour necrosis factor alpha (anti-TNFalpha) agents, which block signalling molecules that induce inflammation, improve the symptoms of psoriatic arthritis. Golimumab is a new human monoclonal antibody that works against TNFalpha 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, multicentre, randomised, 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 and Rheumatism...
