Biologics for RA Archives | Page 2 of 5 | Rheumatoid Arthritis Warrior

Are Biosimilars Justice in Competition for Biologics Like Enbrel?

January 30, 2012May 15, 2018 Kelly O'Neill 13 Comments Biologics for RA, Biosimilars, Rheumatoid arthritis treatment

The FDA definition of biosimilars and a pathway to approval Biosimilars are pharmaceuticals that are similar to biologics such as Enbrel and Humira, but not chemically identical as with generic drugs. If the unique molecules used to create a biologic (from living proteins) such as Enbrel are not cloned, but carefully imitated, they are considered “biosimilar.”...Continue reading 13 Comments » Read more

Predicting Response to Rheumatoid Arthritis Therapy

August 22, 2011May 15, 2018 Kelly O'Neill 12 Comments Biologics for RA, Genetics and RA, Research on Rheumatoid Arthritis, Talking to doctors

The problem of varying responses to RA therapy If you’re following comments on the blog, Twitter, or Facebook, you might have noticed some patients recently have been told by their doctors that that likely don’t have RA because they have not responded well to TNF-a therapies. Sometimes, this comes after a few years of RA treatment. “My...Continue reading 12 Comments » Read more

Will the Next Frontier Be Rituxan?

July 11, 2011May 15, 2018 Kelly O'Neill 51 Comments Biologics for RA, Professional patient, Rituxan for Rheumatoid Arthritis

I spent a couple of hours tonight searching for a Rituxan blog post I wrote a couple of weeks ago. Finally, I figured out there’s only one way to make it come out of hiding – write it over again. (Murphy always lurks, but we can outsmart him.) Working my way toward Rituxan You know that life...Continue reading 51 Comments » Read more

Juvenile Arthritis Treatment Guidelines Adopted by ACR

April 25, 2011May 15, 2018 Kelly O'Neill 9 Comments Actemra, Biologics for RA, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

Parents of children with juvenile forms of Rheumatoid Arthritis have tough decisions to make. They must consider possible risks of medical treatments like TNF-a without comfortable long-term safety records. Families weigh the risks against almost certain damage, disability, and deformity that the disease can bring. Rheumatologists who advise families with these decisions got some help...Continue reading 9 Comments » Read more

Recent Biologics Commercials by Amgen & Abbott Hit New Notes

April 14, 2011May 15, 2018 Kelly O'Neill 21 Comments Biologics for RA, Enbrel, Psoriatic Arthritis, Rheum Disease in the Media, Rheumatoid Arthritis commercials

Abbott’s commercials feature destruction of pianos and bicycles Commercials for Biologics like Enbrel and Humira have come a long way in the last two years. Could our perspective be having an impact on marketers? I don’t know. But the new Abbott ads are remarkable compared to the old baloney. The new message: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can mean more...Continue reading 21 Comments » Read more

Antibodies Lessen Effectiveness of Adalimumab / Humira

April 13, 2011May 15, 2018 Kelly O'Neill 35 Comments Biologics for RA, Research on Rheumatoid Arthritis

A new study proves what many suspected – that Rheumatoid Arthritis patients develop antibodies against adalimumab (Humira) which lessen the effectiveness of the drug. Previous studies have shown this to be true for other Biologic treatments as well. Anti-adalimumab antibodies: another front in our battle against RA Doctors in the Netherlands found 28% of patients developed antibodies...Continue reading 35 Comments » Read more

Do Rheumatoid Arthritis Drugs Cause Cancer?

March 30, 2011May 15, 2018 Kelly O'Neill 27 Comments Biologics for RA, Side effects for RA medicine

Hopefully not. People often state that drugs used to treat Rheumatoid Arthritis cause cancer as an accepted fact. They say they that shortening the length of life is worth the quality of life they gain from treatment. Personally, I’m tremendously interested in both. Rheumatoid Arthritis has long been known to increase risk of cancer, especially lymphoma. We...Continue reading 27 Comments » Read more