Tocilizumab: is there life beyond anti-TNF blockade?

Alves, JD; Marinho, A; Serra, M

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.10/557

Use this identifier to reference this record.

Name:	Description:	Size:	Format:
Int J Clin Pract. 2011 Apr, 65(4)508-13.pdf		92.7 KB	Adobe PDF	Download

Send Feedback

Authors

Alves, JD

Marinho, A

Serra, M

Abstract(s)

Anti-TNF-α therapy has become the most effective biological treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. Despite having changed the prognosis of the disease establishing new targets for treatment strategy, there are several aspects that still remain unmatched. About 30% of the patients with rheumatoid arthritis have a less than satisfactory response to anti-TNF therapy, which has led the way for the pursuit of new targets and approaches to treatment. IL-6 is one of these alternative targets and data from the more recent clinical trials involving tocilizumab (an anti-IL-6 soluble receptor antibody) suggest advantages in relation to some clinical aspects which are not addressed by anti-TNF-α treatment.