On May 20, 2006, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) ran a story about the drug choices available to people with RA. To read the story, visit WSJ, "New Treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis." You will need a subscription to read the article.
Newest Biotech Drugs for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Two new biotech drugs have been approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis since December of 2005. Orencia and Rituxan are the newest options for patients with severe RA who are not responding to methotrexate and other TNF-inhibitors. Patients now are weighing the effectiveness of these new drugs against the risks of side effects and the expense. A June 20 article in the Wall Street Journal online discusses these drugs and other treatment options for patients suffering from RA.
Orencia, made by Bristol-Myers Squibb, was approved in December. It suppresses the immune system by inhibiting T-cells, a type of white blood cells that attack antibodies and foreign substances in the body. The typical course of treatment involves a visit to a clinic or doctor’s office once every four weeks for a 30-minute infusion. Patients often use this drug in combination with methotrexate.
Rituxan, sold by Genentech, Inc. and Biogen Idec, Inc, was approved for the treatment of RA in February. It was originally developed and marketed as treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. Rituxan kills B-cells, white blood cell made in the bone marrow that releases antibodies in an immune system response. The typical course of treatment is two infusions, lasting for 3-6 hours, spaced two weeks apart.
Patients who take these drugs have the potential for lasting relief from pain, inflammation, and joint damage. However, there are downsides to these drugs, similar to the other biotech drugs. These drugs have the same logistical inconvenience of some TNF-inhibitors because they both require office or clinic visits for administration of the drugs. But to many patients, this may be the least burdensome of the considerations.
While both of these drugs seem to be effective so far, they are extremely expensive, even for insured patients. Orencia costs in the range of $17,500 a year for patients without insurance. Rituxan is even more expensive, costing about $18, 630 for the course of two infusions. This is similar to the family of TNF-inhibitors, which also cost similar amounts ranging from approximately $11,000 to $28,000 a year. Most insurance companies cover these drugs when other treatments have failed, but some require co-payments of as much as 20%. This can create a financial hardship for some patients.
In addition, Orencia and Rituxan have been linked to serious and sometimes fatal side effects such as deadly infusion reactions and an increased risk of cancer. This is also similar to the TNF-inhibitors which some studies have shown patients to be twice as likely to develop serious infections and three times as likely to develop various types of cancers, such as lymphoma and breast, lung, and skin cancers.
Newest Biotech Drugs for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Two new biotech drugs have been approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis since December of 2005. Orencia and Rituxan are the newest options for patients with severe RA who are not responding to methotrexate and other TNF-inhibitors. Patients now are weighing the effectiveness of these new drugs against the risks of side effects and the expense. A June 20 article in the Wall Street Journal online discusses these drugs and other treatment options for patients suffering from RA.
Orencia, made by Bristol-Myers Squibb, was approved in December. It suppresses the immune system by inhibiting T-cells, a type of white blood cells that attack antibodies and foreign substances in the body. The typical course of treatment involves a visit to a clinic or doctor’s office once every four weeks for a 30-minute infusion. Patients often use this drug in combination with methotrexate.
Rituxan, sold by Genentech, Inc. and Biogen Idec, Inc, was approved for the treatment of RA in February. It was originally developed and marketed as treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. Rituxan kills B-cells, white blood cell made in the bone marrow that releases antibodies in an immune system response. The typical course of treatment is two infusions, lasting for 3-6 hours, spaced two weeks apart.
Patients who take these drugs have the potential for lasting relief from pain, inflammation, and joint damage. However, there are downsides to these drugs, similar to the other biotech drugs. These drugs have the same logistical inconvenience of some TNF-inhibitors because they both require office or clinic visits for administration of the drugs. But to many patients, this may be the least burdensome of the considerations.
While both of these drugs seem to be effective so far, they are extremely expensive, even for insured patients. Orencia costs in the range of $17,500 a year for patients without insurance. Rituxan is even more expensive, costing about $18, 630 for the course of two infusions. This is similar to the family of TNF-inhibitors, which also cost similar amounts ranging from approximately $11,000 to $28,000 a year. Most insurance companies cover these drugs when other treatments have failed, but some require co-payments of as much as 20%. This can create a financial hardship for some patients.
In addition, Orencia and Rituxan have been linked to serious and sometimes fatal side effects such as deadly infusion reactions and an increased risk of cancer. This is also similar to the TNF-inhibitors which some studies have shown patients to be twice as likely to develop serious infections and three times as likely to develop various types of cancers, such as lymphoma and breast, lung, and skin cancers.
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What the community is saying...
RA just makes me crazy
Posted 11/18 Comments (3)
Yeah another gripe about the wonders of this ever so...
