Counseling Points - December 2008 - (Page 13)

CP disease. ied in RA. (BLyS). Counseling Points Future Treatments for RA • Despite the fact that there are now many effective treatments available to help alleviate symptoms and slow or halt the damaging effects of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), there is still no cure for the • Currently marketed biologic and nonbiologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) show efficacy in many patients with RA, but none of these agents leads to a response in all patients. Therefore, a number of new biologic therapies that target specific cytokines and cells involved in RA are being aggressively studied. • Certolizumab selectively targets TNF in inflamed tissue and is dosed once every 2 weeks or once every 4 weeks via subcutaneous administration. • The TNF-inhibitor golimumab is being investigated in RA as a once-monthly subcutaneous injection and also as an every-3-month intravenous (IV) infusion. • CD20 is an antigen that is present on B cells and thought to play a pivotal role in B-cell activation and proliferation. Ocrelizumab and ofatumumab are humanized anti-CD20 antibodies being stud- ™ • Atacicept and belimumab are drugs that target and inhibit the cytokine B-Lymphocyte Stimulator • In autoimmune disorders—including RA—IL-6 is one of a number of pro-inflammatory proteins activated when the body perceives pathogenic invasion. Tocilizumab is the first humanised monoclonal antibody that binds to the IL-6 receptor and neutralizes IL-6 function. It is currently being evaluated for RA and juvenile idiopathic arthritis in late-stage clinical trials. • Janus kinase (JAK) mediates multiple signaling pathways used by cytokines and growth factors involved in a number of diseases, including RA. The novel JAK inhibitor INCB018424 is currently being studied as an oral treatment for RA. • Patients and health care professionals have access to a multitude of scientific, evidence-based practice recommendations through the Internet. The most reliable sources are linked to organizations of health care professionals specializing in rheumatology practice, and those of the pharmaceutical manufacturers. Payment assistance programs are also accessible if one knows where to look for them. The patient education component is a very important part of rheumatology nursing practice. 13 DECEMBER 2008

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Counseling Points - December 2008

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