Conference Coverage
Sarilumab shown safe, effective for RA in phase III trial
Key clinical point: Treatment with the interleukin-6–blocking drug sarilumab showed efficacy and relative safety in the first reported results...
PARIS – Treatment with the interleukin-6–blocking drug sarilumab led to statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in a multicenter, placebo controlled, phase III trial with 1,197 patients.
The safety and efficacy results from the SARIL-RA-MOBILITY trial are the first outcomes from a panel of phase III studies of sarilumab in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, said Dr. Mark Genovese at the annual European Congress of Rheumatology. The results showed that treatment with sarilumab plus methotrexate led to less joint damage over time, compared with methotrexate plus placebo, a benefit that should result in patients feeling better, said Dr. Genovese, professor of medicine and co-chief of the division of immunology and rheumatology at Stanford (Calif.) University.
Sarilumab is the first agent to progress this far in testing from a novel class of immunosuppressive drugs that work by blocking interleukin-6. Having safe drugs from a new class available to treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis holds promise for better controlling this disease in patients who inadequately respond to existing drug options, Dr. Genovese said in a video interview.
The SARIL-RA-MOBILITY trial was sponsored by Sanofi and Regeneron, the companies developing the drug. Dr. Genovese said that he has been a consultant to and received research support from Sanofi. Several of the coauthors are employees of Sanofi or Regeneron.
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