Biogen Idec touts rituximab findings

Biogen Idec and Genentech, the biotechnology company with a majority shareholding from Roche, have announced new data concerning rituximab, marketed in the UK by Roche as MabThera.

Describing the study results as “positive”, the companies tested rituximab in conjunction with methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who have failed to respond adequately to one or more anti-tumour necrosis factor therapies, such as Humira or Enbrel.

Researchers discovered that a “greater proportion” of rituximab users demonstrated American College of Rheumatology 20, 50, 70 scores – a percentage measurement of the improvement observed in the number of swollen and tender joints – after a subsequent course of treatment with rituximab.

Mark Genovese, associate professor of medicine in immunology and rheumatology at Stanford University’s medical centre, remarked: “These interim data show that patients who received a subsequent course of [rituximab] experienced comparable or improved RA symptom relief compared to outcomes after their first course.”

He added that patients in the study showed no signs of an increase in infections or infusion reactions.

Recently, MabThera was approved by NICE as a first-line treatment for stage III and IV follicular lymphoma, a type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It was previously indicated as a last-line of defence against the disease.