Data from a long-term blinded study of anti-TNF agent in patients with rheumatoid arthritis demonstrated that more than three quarters of patients treated with Enbrel ( Etanercept ) plus Methotrexate combination therapy experienced no progression of joint damage at three years.

These new results from the TEMPO ( Trial of Etanercept and Methotrexate with Radiographic Patient Outcomes ) study were presented at the American College of Rheumatology's ( ACR ) Annual Scientific Meeting.

" Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic condition requiring long-term treatment. It is critical to provide patients with treatment options that not only reduce the signs and symptoms of the disease, but also inhibit the progression of joint damage," said Désirée van der Heijde, at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands. " The TEMPO results reinforce the benefits of Etanercept and Methotrexate combination therapy and underscore the importance of effective treatment."

At three years, the majority of patients taking Etanercept and Methotrexate combination therapy had no progression of joint damage.
These results were significantly better than those achieved in Etanercept monotherapy and Methotrexate monotherapy-treated patients.
Patients receiving Etanercept monotherapy also had significantly better results than patients receiving Methotrexate monotherapy.

Further, additional data showed that improvement in physical function was higher for the Etanercept combination group than for either therapy alone.
Patients treated with combination therapy experienced a 56 percent mean improvement in Health Assessment Questionnaire ( HAQ ) scores from baseline, compared to 37 percent mean improvement in patients treated with Etanercept alone and 33 percent mean improvement in patients treated with Methotrexate alone.
HAQ scores measure a patient's ability to perform activities of daily living such as dressing, walking, and grooming.

The TEMPO study randomized 686 patients with rheumatoid arthritis , of which 638 were included in the three-year radiographic analysis.
Patients received either Etanercept ( 25 mg twice weekly ), Methotrexate ( up to 20 mg once weekly ), or Etanercept ( 25 mg twice weekly ) plus Methotrexate once weekly.
Patients in the TEMPO trial had active rheumatoid arthritis and an inadequate response to at least one disease-modifying antirheumatic drug ( DMARD ) other than Methotrexate.
The primary radiographic endpoint was the change from baseline in the van der Heijde-modified TSS at one year.
Secondary radiographic endpoints included changes in total erosions, changes in total joint space narrowing, number of eroded joints, and percent of patients with no radiographic progression.

Source: Amgen, 2005


XagenaMedicine2005