Video lecture: Biologic therapies for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases

Dr. Chan explains how biologic therapy (mainly through monoclonal antibodies) is changing the present and future of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. He illustrates some examples of autoimmune diseases such as: multiple sclerosis, asthma, treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with etanercept, and others.

Overview on monoclonal antibody therapy: PPT, images and videos

This post intends to be a brief and readable overview on what monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are and some examples of their clinical applications. The following slideshow is a clear and accurate introduction on the topic: (ignore the first slide error message and move to the second)

New 2009 NICE clinical guideline for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

The UK’s National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) issued in February 2009 an update of the rheumatoid arthritis guideline. Pharmacist Matt Robinson at his excellent “Prescribing advice for GP’s” commented the most relevant points of the guidance: This guideline recommends that treatment is started early during active disease in order to minimise damage […]

Scottish Medicines Consortium accepted Adalimumab (Humira) for adolescents that do not respond to other DMARDs

An excerpt from the Drug Advice issued by the Scottish Medicines Consortium on adalimumab (Humira): adalimumab (Humira)  is  accepted  for  restricted  use  in  NHS  Scotland,  in  combination  with methotrexate, for the treatment of active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis in adolescents aged 13-17  years  who  have  an  inadequate  response  to  one  or more  disease-modifying  anti-rheumatic drugs […]

Cochrane review: Anakinra (Kineret) for reumathoid arthritis has modest efficacy

A recent Cochrane review about the use of anakinra (Kineret) for reumathoid arthritis, concludes that it is a “modestly efficacious biologic therapy for rheumatoid arthritis”. Authors’ conclusions Anakinra is a relatively safe and modestly efficacious biologic therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. Although head to head comparison trials have not been carried out, the amount of improvement […]

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