FDA Approves Enbrel for Psoriatic Arthritis

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of Enbrel (etanercept) in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis -- a type of arthritis which develops in nearly 25 percent of people diagnosed with psoriasis.

Although other treatments are available, Enbrel is the first to receive FDA approval for "reducing the signs and symptoms" of the disease, and may be used alone, or in combination with methotrexate. Originally approved for rheumatoid arthritis in 1998, the drug is injected under the skin.

The last phase III trial before submission to the FDA included 205 patients at 17 clinics across the country.

Sixty-two percent of those taking a combination of Enbrel with low doses of methotrexate achieved at least a 20 percent improvement in swelling, tenderness, pain, and other symptoms of psoriatic arthritis after three months.

Fifty-eight percent of patients who took Enbrel without methotrexate showed a 20 percent improvement in the disease as well. All patients were compared to an equal number of patients who did not receive the drug.

In addition, almost half the patients noticed improvement in skin condition. Forty-three percent of patients with moderate to severe psoriatic arthritis realized a 50 percent improvement in typical lesions, while 47 percent saw improvement in their psoriasis overall.

Other sources: National Psoriasis Foundation, FDA