New Oral Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment Proves Safe and Effective in Trial

A new oral rheumatoid arthritis treatment known as AGIX-4207 has proven safe and effective in relieving inflammation in a Phase II clinical trial.

Under development by AtheroGenics, AGIX-4207 targets a specific subset of TNF-alpha induced activity and may reduce chronic inflammation without the broad-based immune suppression seen in existing TNF-alpha drugs. TNF-alpha is a protein that stimulates inflammation.

AGIX-4207 was tested in 27 patients who were being treated with Remicade® (infliximab). Researchers said AGIX-4207 was safe and well tolerated by all patients with no serious adverse events or discontinuations.

To determine whether AGIX-4207 had an anti-inflammatory effect, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and several other inflammatory markers were measured at the beginning and the end of a three-week period.

During a three-week time frame, AGIX-4207 inhibited the increase in ESR observed in patients on placebo by 92 percent.

The next trial for AGIX-4207, according to AtheroGenics, will involve longer dosing in a larger patient sample.

Physicians currently treat rheumatoid arthritis in a stepwise escalation, starting with anti-inflammatory agents such as aspirin or ibuprofen, and, if necessary, proceeding to treatment with drugs called DMARDs that affect the body's immune system.

New DMARD drugs such as Celebrex®, Enbrel® and Vioxx® target the modulation of TNF-alpha. According to AtheroGenics, such drugs are only partially effective and either increase the risk of infection or do not adequately address the chronic inflammation that marks rheumatoid arthritis.

Other sources: AtheroGenics