Study: Once-a-Week Doses of Enbrel Bring Same Rheumatoid Arthritis Results

Patients who take Enbrel® (etanercept) for their rheumatoid arthritis may be able to lessen the frequency with which they take the drug and achieve the same results.

A new study found that rheumatoid arthritis patients who took a 50-milligram dose of Enbrel once a week experienced the same improvements in function and pain as those receiving the currently approved dose of 25 milligrams twice a week.

The data were presented June 20 at the European League Against Rheumatism annual congress in Lisbon, Portugal.

The primary endpoint, a 20 percent improvement in signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis after eight weeks, was achieved by 50 percent of patients treated once weekly and 49 percent percent of patients treated twice weekly with Enbrel.

Improvement in functional status and pain were also comparable between the two groups.

Adverse events, such as injection site reactions, infections and headache were similar to those reported in previous clinical trials of Enbrel.

Other sources: Amgen, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals