Arthritis Cure: New Oral Treatment Found in Vienna
A group of researchers from Vienna, Austria found a new alternative for patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. How effective is this new drug?
Usually, patients who have rheumatoid arthritis are given a standard antirheumatic agent methotrexate as treatment for six months. Many people have found this cure very effective, however, some people do not respond to the drug at all. They are then given a new set of methotrexate medicine. If the patient has any risk factor present upon the treatment, they will be given a combined methotrexate and a biologic agent. Biologic agents are substances made from living organisms that are used to cure illnesses. An example of this is adalimumab, which is used in arthritis.
To better improve the rheumatoid arthritis treatment, experts from the Division of Rheumatology at the Medical University of Vienna found a new alternative. Headed by Rheumatologist Josef Smolen, together with researchers from the United States, Australia, United Kingdom, China, and Argentina, the team presented the amazing results of their research.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The researchers found that the combination of methotrexate and tofacitinib produces the same effective results like that of the combination of methotrexate and adalimumab. The new collaborative medicine was proven effective through their research. Methotrexate/adalimumab will have to be injected to patients every two weeks, and the new combination can be taken through tablets two times a day. This will make the treatment faster and more accesable for many people.
Tofacitinib is effective because it inhibits specific enzymes that are responsible for inflammatory responses found in rheumatoid arthritis. If these enzymes are prevented from inflammation, the painful immune response that happens in rheumatoid arthritis can be quelled.
The study headed by Smolen is called "Efficacy and safety of tofacitinib monotherapy, tofacitinib with methotrexate, and adalimumab with methotrexate in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (ORAL Strategy)." It was recently published in a medical journal called "The Lancet."
