Advantage of biological therapy in rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is usually treated with one or more disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), which are available. In different ways, these drugs calm the activity of the immune system so that it stops attacking and damaging the joints.
Common DMARDs for RA
Common DMARDs for RA (such as methotrexate and sulfasalazine, Arava, Plaquenil) and drugs such as steroids are effective, but they suppress many aspects of the body’s immune response at once.
Abnormal immune response that occurs in RA
As we learn more about the so-called abnormal immune response that occurs in RA, it has become possible to develop treatments that target very specific aspects of it: these are biological therapies.
Biologics are genetically engineered proteins that target specific parts of the immune system that promote inflammation. Non-biologic drugs such as methotrexate offer a more diffuse approach.
“If you’re fighting a war, biologics are the snipers. They will take out one target.”
– explains Jeffrey Curtis, MD, MPH, director of the Arthritis Clinical Intervention Program at the University of Alabama (UAB) and director of the Center for Therapy Education and Research at Birmingham.
There are the following types of biological therapy of Rheumatoid arthritis:
- Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF) inhibitors
- Acting on B-cell immunity
- Inhibitor of interleukin.
Of course, the said therapy has inclusion criteria
The NICE RA guideline states that biologics should be eligible for RA patients with a high level of disease activity.