Abatacept continues to show benefits for rheumatoid arthritis,

摘要

Positive results continue to emerge for abatacept,the first in a new class of drugs for rheumatoid arthritis that selectively modulates the co-stimulatory signal required for full T-cell activation.A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine last month(2006;144:865)suggests that abatacept reduces disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who have had an inadequate response to methotrexate.US researchers randomised 652 patients with active RA despite methotrexate treatment to receive a once-monthly infusion of abatacept 10mg/kg or placebo for one year.The primary outcome measure was a 20 per cent improvement in American College of Rheumatology(ACR)response criteria.