Update on Novel Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatments

Thanks Dr. Mark for this update - you do give us some hope.

I can no longer have methotrexate nor arava (nor the biologics).

Will these new drugs be immuno suppressants. 

Or immuno suppressants that target a specific rheumatoid factor and not supress the whole immune system  ?

Or not immuno suppressants but something that turns off the rheumatoid process ?

Thanks for the updates. The entire RA community is waiting for a drug that will turn off the RA and just not manage the chronic inflammation. That way monoclonal antibodies

have better chances if they prove effective against RA. Since biologics have been targeting molecules that sits in the middle of complex biological networks like TNF, tinkering with it always has the possibility of perturbing several biochemical processes essential for the body not just controlling inflammation. Inflammation itself can be caused in the body via several diffferent pathways where different target molecules are involved. So targeting one molecule just forces the body to take another pathway. If only we can understand the molecular mechanism behind the human body losing its immune control such that it starts attacking its own parts, would help to switch off autoimmune diseases altogether. I know it is an Eutopian thought and I am crossing my fingers to see that breakthrough in my lifetime even if I cannot enjoy the benefits.

Ratnapriya

Thanks for the update about recent drug studies. Those of us with RA enjoy hearing about what was presented at the recent ACR meeting. Still waitin' for a cure!

Andrew

http://livingwithra.wordpress.com/